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T H E 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE 



EARLIEST SETTLEMENT 



TILL THE YEAR 1862. 



BY BEN CASSEDAY 



rou IS VILLI-;, ky. 

H U L L A N D BROTHER. 
] 852. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, 

By ben. CASSEDAY, 

la the (Jlerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Dis= 

trict of Kentucky. 



HULL & BROTHER, 

PRINTERS AND BINDERS, 

83 A 86 Fourth St., LoulBrillo, Kj. 






AND 

2E6ia 1300ft Is 
AFFECTIONATELY INSCiMBED. 



PREFACE. 



Very little need be said by way of Preface to the present 
volume. Cities, like individuals, have ever found the utility 
of giving piibhcity to the advantages they possess. The re- 
spective claims to public consideration of almos't all the larger 
American cities have already been set forth, and no incon- 
siderable sagacity has been displayed in the preparation and 
issue of these advertisements. It cannot be denied that 
Louisville has equal claim upon the community for a fair 
hearing with many of these cities, and this may serve as the 
apology which custom seems to render necessary for the 
publication of this volume. 

Louisville has attained her present rank and position with- 
out having resorted to any of the factitious means so generally 
employed to promote the progress of cities. A singular ap- 
athy in this regard has always pervaded this community, and 
the present prosperity of the city is the result only of fortu- 
itous circumstances, of individual and unorganized effort, or 
of local causes. The following; extract from one of a series 
of very able articles, published several years ago in the Lou- 
isville Journal, conveys a very caustic and severe, but, at the 
same time, a very just and merited rebuke of this apathetic 
indifference to political progress which has been characteristic 
of this city. The author says : "Li the recent book of Judge 



PREFACE. 

Hall entitled "The West — its commerce and navigation," \i is 
stated that "Louisville keeps no account of its business." 
Sucli is really the fact; we have no business organization — 
no chamber of commerce, no mercantile clubs — no Exchange, 
no place "where merchants most do congregate." Our city 
Fathers keep no record of our increase or doings, and it is 
doubted whether the Mayor or Council, with the Assessors 
and Collectors to advise with, can either guess or reckon our 
present population within 4,000, or the number of respectable 
tenements erected last year within 200 of the truth. There 
is not a series of our newspajjers or price currents to which 
a stranger has the right of access; if, indeed, there be an 
entire series of either to be found in our city. Occasionally 
a Directory is got up and contains a few statistics gathered 
without system or concert, and necessarily imperfect, and 
these even are rarely set before the public eye. Other cities 
have had for years the most skillful trumpeters and gazet- 
teers ; their men of influence and wealth have contributed 
largely of money and time (more important than money) not 
only to make their city attractive but to show off those at- 
tractions. Does anything agitate the public mind, whether 
religious, political, or financial — whether it relates to the 
commerce of the lakes, famine in Ireland, or an armory or 
hospital on the western rivers, they seek to be the first to 
write and the first to speak ; they raise one committee to 
gather and another to publish every fact and argument which 
will make the excitement enure to their benefit. All this is 
unobjectionable. Other cities have great attractions, and 
there is no reason why these should not be known ; the gos- 
pel itself requires publication ; but in this democratic country 
are we to allow any other city to take a higher position than 
that to which she is entitled by her skill, strength and capa- 
city? Is it not liigh time to advertise the cheapness and good- 



PREFACE, ( 

ness of our v/aves? If Cincinnati send a special agent to 
Germany with the cards of her lot-holders and a map of this 
country, represented as a narrow strip with New York at one 
terminus and Cincinnati at the other, can we not extend the 
survey to Louisville, and add the name of this city to the 
catalogue published in Europe." 

These remarks are hardly less merited now than at the 
time when they were published. The last two years, it is 
true, have awakened new energies and brought about a great- 
er disposition to prompt and efficient action in promoting a 
useful business organization and in setting forth the claims 
of Louisville in a properly attractive light. Much time, how- 
ever, has been wasted and much valuable material has been 
lost by the long delay in this matter. To endeavor to restore 
this lost time and to replace a part at least of this valuable 
material, is one of the prominent objects had in view in the 
preparation of this history. 

The want of interest which is generally felt in mere sta- 
tistical details, even if ever so carefully compiled, coupled 
with the fact that there is really much in the history of Lou- 
isville which is capable of interesting the general reader, have 
induced me to prefer offering to the public a historical detail 
of the rise, progress and present position of the city, instead 
of following the course which has been pursued by most 
writers of local history. It is no part of the design of this 
volume to eulogize Louisville beyond its deserts. The great- 
est care has been taken to prevent any tendency to exagger- 
ation in all the statistical parts of the work, and the object 
constantly had in view has been to present both to citizens 
and strangers an authentic and reliable statement of all that 
is useful or interesting in the past and present history of the 
city. It is due to myself to state, that, as may readily be 
supposed from what has been said above, I have found great 



b PREFACE. 

difficulty in procuring the necessary data for even this un- 
pretending vohime. And if the town reader should find any 
errors or omissions in these pages I cannot help but hope for 
some leniency at his hands in view of the fact that this is the 
history of a city which has never possessed an official record 
of any kind, and that even the material which has been pro- 
cured at divers times and in distant places has cost no incon- 
siderable amount both of time and trouble in the search. 

The present statistics of the city were carefully collected 
by personal application and investigation; and I desire to ex- 
press my profoundest acknowledgments for the kindness and 
interest with which my wishes were met and forwarded. 
With but one single exception, every information which I 
could have desired was freely furnished, and many valuable 
suggestions were offered which I have since found exti-emely 
useful. I also desire to express my acknowledgments to Mr. 
R. Harlan, of Frankfort, for his kind assistance in the tedious 
and laborious work of examining the census reports. 

In closing a task which has occupied such moments of 
leisure as I could reclaim from the more serious pursuits of 
life for about eighteen months, I cannot but hope that the 
result of this tedious labor may really compass the end for 
which it was intended. I can claim nothing for the book 
on the score of literary merit ; the style is one entirely differ- 
ent from anything which I have heretofore attempted, and 
the volume does not seek to claim rank as a literary produc- 
tion. If, however, it will serve to contribute a moiety to the 
prosperity of my native city ; if it will serve to add one in- 
dustrious and enterprising man to the number of her citizens, 
I shall be satisfied that this labor has not been in vain, nor 

this exertion spent for naught. 

BEN. CASSED.W. 



CONTENTS. 



Position of Louisville — Falls of the Ohio 15 

Advent of Captain Bullitt .16 

Bullitt's Interview with the Indians 17 

Camphell's and Conally's Patents 21 

Advent of General Geo. R. Clark. 22 

Clark's Expedition to Virginia 23 

" Secret orders from Patrick Henry 2.^) 

" Arrival at the Falls 28 

Account of a social party in 1779 31 

Account of life on the Frontier 32 

The Hard Winter 43 

Act for establishing the town • • • • 44 

Early surveys of the town 47 

Reminiscences of the Ponds 50 

Advent of Colonel Geo. Slaughter 53 

Incidents of the Indian Wars , 54 

Division of the State into Counties 58 

Building of Fort Nelson 60 

Battle of Blue Licks 61 

Barge Navigation 62 

The Boatwreckers — Colonel Plug 67 

The Bargemen — Mike Fink 71 

Peace declared 81 

First Store in Louisville 83 

Tom Paine's book 84 

First Kentucky Convention 85 • 

Clark's Treaty at Fort Mcintosh ; 86 

" Expedition to Vincennes , 89 

Mississippi Troubles 90 

- First newspaper in Kentucky 97 



10 COJSTENT8. 



Act ill relation to liie Tnistues — Major Quirey 'Je 

Kentucky erected into a StJite 102 

First Paper Mill— Tax list 103 

Office of Falls Pilot created — Fire compauics established 104 

Acts of Assembly— 1800 107 

Anecdote 109 

Jeffersonville — Sliippiiijiport 110 

First Canal Compauy chartered 112 

- First newspaper in Louisville 115 

Second tax list 116 

Theater 117 

Establishment of a Police 118 

Courthouse built — Early Steam Navigation 119 

Earthquakes, description of, and table 121 

.» Western Courier (newspaper) established 12G 

List of Steamboats up to 1819 128 

First Catholic Church 134 

First Bank— Fouudry 135 

Paving the Streets 136 

First Methodist Church— Portland laid out— New Albany 137 

Manifest of Barges — Unhealthiness of Louisville , 139 

List of Stores &c 140 

Trip of the Enterprize — First boat built 141 

Shi'iplaster currency 142 

Hope Distillery 143 

Fearon's account of Louisville 144 

Branch Bank of the T'nited States l46 

First Presbyterian Church built — bnrned 147 

Hospital Company incorporated 148 

Dinner to Captain Shreve 150 

Death of General Geo. R. Clark 151 

Price Current — 1818 — Commercial Bank — Public Advei-tiser 152 

Dr. McMurtrie's Sketches of Louisville 153 

J . J, Audubon — Visit of President 155 

Purchase of Fire Engines 159 

Tax list and Census for 1821 160 

Commonwealth Bauk established 162 

Issue of Town Notes— Epidemic of 1822 163 

First Episcopal Church — Lafayette's Visit 1 65 



CONTEJSTTS. 11 

Builf'iug a Wliarf — Louisville and Portland Caual .166 

The Focus — Resolutions for a Charter ,173 

Louisville becomes a City 174 

First City Officers 177 

Bank Robbery— New Methodist Church— City School 179 

Second Presbyterian Church — Daily Journal 182 

Bank of Kentucky built — Louisville Lyceum 184 

Flood of '32 — Unitarian Church — Directory &c 185 

Bank of Louisville chartered — Museum 187 

Government Deposites removed 188 

Water Works 189 

Comical Guards 190 

Death of Lafayette 19i 

Tax List— Table of Exports &c, 1830 192 

Bridge over the Ohio — Panic of '37 194 

Notice of Amelia's Poems 195 

Medical College 1 97 

Portland Railroad 198 

Newsletter — Historical Society — Provident Society 199 

Visit of America Vespucci 200 

Introduction of Gas 202 

Great Fire 203 

Statistics of "45 205 

Opening of Louisville and Frankfort Railroad 206 

New Charter 208 

Louisville and its environs , . . 209 

Society of Louisville 210 

Churches, Streets, &c , 21 6 

Public Education 219 

Health 225 

Markets — Periodicals 227 

Table of Occupations 228 

Commercial Statistics 230 

Louisville as a Market for Tobacco 234 

•' Cotton 237 

" Pork 240 

Manufacturing Statistics 241 

Conclusion 247 

Appendix.. 



HISTORY 



LOUISVILLE 



CHAPTEE I. 



The utility and profit of the local history of cities is no 
longer a matter of doubt. Whether considered solely 
as objects of interest or amusement, or as having the 
still wider utility of making known abroad the individ- 
uality of the places they describe, these records are wor- 
thy of high consideration. And although in a country 
like ours this department of history can claim to chroni- 
cle no gi-eat events, nor to relate any of those local tra- 
ditions that make many of the cities of the Old World so 
famous in story and song, yet they can fulfil the equal 
use of directing the attention of those abroad to the 
rise, progi-ess and present standing of places which may 
fairly claim, in the future, what has made others great in 
the past. And in an age when every energy of the 
whole brotherhood of man is directed to the future, and 
when mere utilitarianism has taken the place oi 
romance, or of deeds of high renown, it is a matter of 
2 



14 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



more than ordinary interest and value to all, to note 
the practical advancement, and so to calculate upon the 
basis of the past, the probable results of the future of 
those cities in the New World, which seem to present 
advantages, either social or pecuniary, to that large 
class of foreigners and others, who are constantly 
seeking for homes or means of occupation among us. 
Nor is it to these alone, that such local history is of 
value. The country is beginning already to possess 
much unemployed capital seeking for investment; 
while many, having already procured the means of liv- 
ing well, are seeking for homes more congenial to their 
tastes than the places where they have lived but for 
pecuniary profit. To both of these, the history of indi- 
vidual cities is an invaluable aid in helping the one to 
discover a means of advantageously employing his sur- 
plus money, and in aiding the other to find a home pos- 
sessing those social advantages which will render him 
comfortable and happy. 

But it is to the emigi'ant foreigner that local history 
is of the greatest benefit. Leaving a country with whose 
resources, social, moral, and political, he is intimately 
acquainted for one of which he knows almost nothing, 
such works, carefully and authentically wTittcu, are to 
him what the guide-books of the Old World are to the 
wonder-seeking traveler ; they present him at once with 
a daguerreotype view of the land of his adoption and 
point out to him every advantage and disadvantage, 
eveiy chance of profit or of pleasure, every means of 
gain, every hope of gratification that is anywhere to be 
afibrded. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 15 



Impressed with these opinions, it is proposed to pre- 
sent the reader with an authentic and impartial history 
of Louisville; one which may be implicitly relied on in 
its calculations and statistical details and which shall 
present as accurate and faithful a historical survey as 
can be obtained from any data known to the writer or 
attainable by him. 

Louisville lies on the Southern bank of the Ohio river 
at the falls or mpids of that stream, in longitude 85o 
30' west of Greenwich, and latitude 38o 3^ north. Its 
position is one of peculiar excellence, situated at a point 
where the navigation of the stream is naturally obstruct- 
ed by the rapids, and where, for six miles above the site 
of the city, the river stretches out into a broad, smooth 
sheet of water a mile in width, almost without a current, 
and presents a safe and beautiful harbor for a great dis- 
tance along the Kentucky shore; embracing too within 
its limits the debouchure of Beargrass Creek, which also 
affords a convenient and accessible resting place for 
barges, keel, and flatboats, sheltering them from all 
the dangers to which an open harbor would render them 
liable, it presents advantages which at once mark it to 
the sagacious eye as a proper location for a town of the 
greatest importance. Aside from all these advantages, 
the immense surface of level country which spreads out 
on either side of the rapids for so great a distance, is of 
itself worthy of consideration. The term "falls" which 
has been and is so commonly applied to the obstruction 
in the river at this point, is apt to produce an incorrect 
idea in the mind of one who does not know exactly how 
to apply the term. The falls are not a precipitous de- 



16 HIBTOKT OF LOUISVILLE. 

scent of water, but simply "an obstruction in the course 
of the river caused by a ledge of limestone rock running 
obliquely across its bed, with channels or chutes through 
the mound, produced or modified by the force of the 
water." This however is so serious an obstacle to the 
navigation of the stream as to create the necessity, which 
always exists, except at the highest stage of the water, 
for the debarkation and re-shipment of goods above and 
below this point, thus affording great commercial ad- 
vantages to the city situated beside these rapids. 

The peculiar attractions of such a location as this 
could not long go unheeded, and accordingly as early as 
1770 parties came from Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, pro- 
bably sent by Lord Dunmore, then Governor of Virgin- 
ia, and surveyed the lands adjacent to the falls, with a 
view of distributing them as bounty lands. The earliest 
account, however, which we have of anything like a 
settlement here is that of Capt. Thomas Bullitt, who in 
1773, deputed by a special commission from William 
and Mary College in Virginia, came to survey lands and 
efiect settlements in the then teTritory of Kentucky. 
His practiced eye perceived the advantages of this port 
and he moored his traveling barge in the safe and beau - 
tifiil harbor of Beargi'ass, and here established a camp 
to protect his men from the weather and to shelter his 
stores. From this point he made surveys of much of 
the adjacent country as far down as Salt river, to which 
he gave its present title from his having there found 
the salt lick still known by his name. lie estimated 
the advantages of his new settlement at their full worth, 
and purposed to return at once to his friends and procure 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 17 



the means of re- visiting and establishing it. But Death 
sought him in the midst of his well laid plans, and it was 
left for another to complete what his sagacity and enter- 
prise had commenced. 

To show that Bullitt's plans had been well matured, 
and also to give some idea of the prudence and intelli- 
gence of the man, it is only necessary to cite, from 
Marshall's History of Kentucky, the following not un- 
interesting facts : 

"On his way to Kentucky," says this historian, 
"Bullitt made a visit to Chillicothe, a Shawnee town, 
to hold a friendly talk with those Indians on the subject 
of his intended settlement ; and for the particular pur- 
pose of obtaining their assent to the measure. He knew 
they claimed the right of hunting in the country — a 
right to them of the utmost importance, and which they 
had not relinquished. He also knew they were brave, 
and indefatigable; and that if they were so disposed, 
could greatly annoy the inhabitants of the intended set- 
tlement. It was, therefore, a primary object in his esti- 
mation to obtain their consent to his projected residence, 
and cultivation of the lands. To accomplish this, he 
left his party on the Ohio and traveled out to the town 
unattended, and without announcing his approach by a 
runner. He was not discovered until he got into the 
midst of Chillicothe, when he waved his white flag as 
a token of peace. The Indians saw with astonishment 
a stranger among them in the character of ambassador, 
for such he assumed by the flag, and without any inti- 
mation of his intended visit. Some of them collected 
about him, and asked him. What news? Was he from 



18 HISTOKY OF LOgiSVILLK. 



the Long Knife? and why, if he was an ambassador, lio 
had not sent a runner?" 

Bullitt, not in the least intimidated, replied that he 
had no bad news — he was from the Long Knife — and 
as the red men and white men were at peace, he had 
come among his brothers to have a friendly talk with 
them about living on the other side of the Ohio ; that 
he had no runner swifter than himself, and that he was 
in haste and could not wait the return of a runner. 
'Would you,' said he, 'if you were very hungry and had 
killed a deer, send your squaw to town to tell the news, 
and wait her return before you eat?' This put the by- 
standers in high good humor, and gave them a favorable 
opinion of their interlocutor. And upon his desiring 
that the warriors should be called together, they were 
forthwith convened, and he promptly addressed them in 
the following speech, extracted from his journal : 
"'Bkotheks: 

I am sent by my people, whom I left on the Ohio, to 
settle the country on the other side of that river, as low 
down as the falls. "We come from Virginia. The king 
of my people has bought from the nations of red men 
both north and south all the land ; and I am instructed 
to inform you and all the warriors of this great country, 
that the Virginians and the English are in friendship 
with you. This friendship is dear to them, and they 
intend to keep it sacred. The same friendship they ex- 
pect from you, and from all the nations to the lakes. 
We know that the Shawnees and the Delawares are to 
be our nearest neighbors, and we wish them to be our 
best friends as we will be theirs. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 19 



"Brothers, you did not get any of the money or blank- 
ets given for the land which I and my people are going 
to settle. This was hard for you. But it is agreed by 
the great men who own the land, that they will make a 
present both to the Delawares and the Shawnees the 
next year and the year following that shall be as good. 

"Brothers, I am appointed to settle the country, to 
live in it, to raise corn, and to make proper rules and 
regulations among my people. There will be some 
principal men from my country very soon, and then 
much more will be said to you. The Governor desires 
to see you, and will come out this jear or the next. 
When I come again I will have a belt of wampum. This 
time I came in haste and had not one ready, 

"My people only want the country to settle and cul- 
tivate. They will have no objection to your hunting 
and trapping there. I hope you will live by us as 
brothers and friends. 

"You now know my heart, and as it is single towards 
you, I expect you will give me a kind talk ; for I shall 
write to my , Governor what you say to me and he will 
believe all I write." 

This speech was received with attention, and Bullitt 
was told that the next day he should be answered. 

The Indians are in the habit of proceeding with great 
deliberation in matters of importance, and all are such 
to them which concern their hunting. 

On the morrow, agreeably to promise, they were as- 
sembled at the same place, and Bullitt being present 
they returned an answer to his speech as follows : 



20 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



"Oldest Bkother — The Long Kn^fe : 

"We heard you would be glad to see your brothers, 
the Shawnees and Delawares, and talk -vrith them. 
But we are surprised that you sent no runner before 
you, and that you came quite near us through the trees 
and grass a hard journey without letting us know until 
you appeared among us, 

"Brother, we have considered your talk carefully, and 
we are glad to find nothing bad in it, nor any ill mean- 
ing. On the contrary you speak what seems kind and 
friendly, and it pleased us well. You mentioned to us 
your intention of settling the country on the other side 
of the Ohio with your people. And we are particular- 
ly pleased that they are not to disturb us in our hunting. 
For we must hunt to kill meat for our women and chil- 
dren, and to have something to buy our powder and 
lead with, and to get us blankets and clothing. 

"All our young brothers are pleased with what you 
said. We desire that you will be strong in fulfilling 
your promises towards us, as we are determined to be 
very straight in advising our young men to be kind and 
peaceable to you. 

"This spring we saw something wrong on the part of 
our young men. They took some horses from the white 
people. But we have advised them not to do so again, 
and have cleared their hearts of all bad intentions. We 
expect they will observe our advice as they like what 
you said." 

"This speech, delivered by Girty, was interpreted by 
Richard Batlcr, who, during the stay of Captain Bul- 
litt, had made him his guest and otherwise treated him 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 21 



in the most friendly manner. But having executed his 
mission very much to his ov7n satisfaction, Bullitt took 
his leave and rejoined his party, who were much re- 
joiced to see him return, 

"He made report of his progress and success, and his 
comrades with light hearts and high expectations launch- 
ed their keels on the stream which conveyed them to 
the shore of Kentucky and the landing before spoken of," 

Capt. Bullitt had high testimonials of his eminent 
fitness for the position he had assumed. General Wash- 
ington himself, than whom no one was at once a better 
judge and a more valuable authority in such matters, 
spoke in the highest terms of his capacity in the exer- 
cise of the multifarious duties of surveyor, navigator 
and trader. Had not a premature death taken him away 
in the midst of his labors, it is certainly to him that we 
should have owed the earliest prosperity of the city. 

Even previous to the arrival of Capt. Bullitt, how- 
ever, these lands at the falls had been patented and were 
owned, most probably as bounty lands, by John Camp- 
bell and Dr. John Conally. Of Campbell we know lit- 
tle, if anything ; but Conally played a somewhat im- 
portant part in the early history of the "West. He was 
the nephew of ,Colonel Croghan and the friend of Lord 
Dunmore, and was by him dispatched in 1774 to assert 
the claims of Virginia upon Fort Pitt, where he was 
arrested, before he had taken more than the initiatory 
step in his proceeding, by Arthur St. Clair, the repre- 
sentative of the proprietors of Pennsylvania in the West, 
and only released on his own recognizance. He did not, 
hoAvever, choose to return into the custody of the law, 



22 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



but, collecting a band of followers, he came again in 
March of the same year and took possession, in Lord 
Dunmore's name, of Fort Pitt ; rebuilt it and called it 
Fort.Dunmore. It was he who occasioned the bloody 
fights known in the history of border warfare as Logan's 
or Cresap's war. He afterwards, in 17Y5, formed a plot 
against the government, which was discovered, and this 
notoriously tyrannical and wicked man was thrown into 
prison and remained an unpitied captive till 1781. Af- 
ter the revolution he became a Tory and thus his lands, 
at the falls and elsewhere, became forfeit to the State of 
Virginia. It was, however, for him and Campbell that 
Bullitt surveyed the lands adjacent to the falls. The 
extent of their tract was about 4000 acres. 

After Bullitt's expedition had received this final check, 
the falls were visited only by a few hunters and traders; 
and it was not until 1778 that any new attempt was 
made toward a permanent settlement on this site. The 
enterprising and gallant Col, George Eogees Clark, 
whose name is so well known to all readers of the early 
]iistory of Kentiicky or of the West, comes now to be 
associated with this history. This city is so deeply in- 
debted to him, not only for its earlier prosperity, but for 
its very existence, that it becomes alike agreeable and 
useful to inquire something as to tlie circumstances of 
his settlement here. He was born in Albemarle coun- 
ty, Virginia, and, like our great "Washington, was in 
early life a land surveyor, and, like him too, a man of 
unusual talent, discrimination and forethought. He 
came first to Kentucky in 1772. But his history be- 
comes first 9,ssociated with that of the State in 1774 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 23 



when he served in Dnnmore's war. In the latter part 
of 1775, having gained the rank of Major, he returned 
to his native State in order to prepare for his permanent 
removal to Kentucky, which took place in the Spring 
following. Up to this time Kentucky had been held to 
be a part of Fincastle county, in Virginia; but its in- 
habitants had no rights or protection as citizens of that 
State, Upon Clark's removal to Kentucky he readily 
saw the advantages of the new settlement, but his sa- 
gacity at the same time taught him that a State whose 
very title was in dispute, and which was so tar beyond 
the old lines of civilization, and so removed from the 
X3rotection of the elder commonwealths would not attract 
settlers with that rapidity to which its immensely supe- 
rior natural advantages entitled it. He perceived that 
the future prosperity of his adopted home depended 
upon its being under the aid and protection of Virginia, 
or upon its being made a separate State. The result of 
this deliberation and of his promulgation of these views 
was that he was chosen a member of the Virginia as- 
sembly and carried to them a petition for admission into 
their commonwealth. He had the misfortune, however, 
after having walked the whole distance, to find this body 
adjourned. This did not, however, deter him from 
prosecuting his plan for the good of Kentucky. He 
visited the Governor, Patrick Henry, and laid his case 
before that wise and patriotic man. The Governor ac- 
knowledged the justness of his claim, and gave him a 
letter to the Executive Council. This body, fearful of 
exceeding its powers, could or would do little for him. 
He demanded powder which they promptly offered to 



24 HISTORY O^ LOUISVILLE. 



lend him on his individual security; an offer whicli 
Clark peremptorily refused, and so intimidated them by 
his dauntless manner and his threats of consequences 
that finally the order was issued for the powder to be 
supplied to Clark at Fort Pitt. And, on the re-assem- 
bling of the delegates, after much warm discussion, 
Kentucky was erected into a county of Virginia. Both 
these objects accomplished, Clark returned to Pittsburg, 
procured the powder and with great difficulty and dan- 
ger succeeded in bringing it down to the ]3reseut site of 
Maysville, where he carefully concealed it and then 
went to the fort at Harrodsburg and sent a convoy for 
the buried treasure, where it finally arrived in safety, 
Tliis slight outline sketch shows the first of a series of 
events which led Col. Clark to the falls of Ohio. The 
seond event which bears upon this point is alike credita- 
ble to him. And here we must be indebted to Mr. 
Perkins' Annals of the West for a condensed narration 
of this afl'air. 

"Clark understood," says this excellent compilation, 
"the whole game of the British. He saw that it was 
through their possession of Detroit, Vincennes, Kaskas- 
kia and the other western posts — which gave them easy 
and constant access to the Indian tribes of the north- 
east — that the British hoped to effect such a union of 
the wild men as would annihilate the frontier fortresses. 
He knew that the Delawares were divided in feeling, 
and the Shawnees but imperfectly united in favor of 
England, ever since the murder of Cornstalk. He was 
convinced that could the British in the north-west be 
defeated and expelled, the natives might be easily awed 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 25 



or bribed into neutrality ; and by spies sent for the pur- 
pose, and who were absent from April 20th to June 22d, 
he had satisfied himself that an enterprise against the 
Illinois settlements might easily succeed. Having made 
up his mind, on the Ist of October he left Harrodsburg 
for the East, and reached the capital of Virginia Novem- 
ber the 6th. Opening his mind to no one he watched 
with care the state of feeling among those in power, 
waiting the proper moment to present his scheme. For- 
tunately, while he was upon his road, on the 17th of 
October, Burgoyne had surrendered, and hope was again 
predominant in the American councils. When, there- 
fore, the western soldier, upon the 10th of December, 
broke the subject of his proposed expedition against the 
forts on the far distant Mississippi to Patrick Henry, 
who was still governor, he met with a favorable hearing, 
and though doubts and fears arose by degrees, yet so 
well digested were his plans, that he was able to meet 
each objection and remove every seeming impossibility. 

Having thus satisfied the Virginia leaders of the fea- 
sibility of his plan, he received on the 22d of January 
two sets of instructions — the one open, authorizing him 
to enlist seven companies to go to Kentucky, subject to 
his orders, and to serve for three months from their ar- 
rival in the West ; the other set secret, and drawn as 
follows : 

Virginia: Set. In Council, Williamsburg, Jan. 9,^d, 1778. 
Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark : 

You are to proceed, with all convenient speed, 
to raise seven companies of soldiers, to consist of fifty 
men each, oflicered in the usual manner, and armed 



^6 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLil. 



most properly for the enterprise; and with this force at- 
tack the British post at Kaskaskia. 

"It is conjectured that there are many pieces of cannon 
and military stores to a considerable amount at that 
place, the taking and preservation of which would be 
a valuable acquisition to the State. If you are so for- 
tunate therefore, as to succeed in your expedition, you 
will take every possible measure to secure the artillery 
and stores and whatever may advantage the State, 

"For the transportation of the troops, provisions, &c., 
down the Ohio, you are to apply to the commanding of- 
ficer at Fort Pitt for boats; and during the whole tran- 
saction you are to take especial care to keep the true 
destination of your force secret; its success depends upon 
this. (Orders are therefore given to Capt. Smith to se- 
cure the two men from Kaskaskia.) Similar conduct 
will be proper in similar cases. 

"It is earnestly desired that you show humanity to such 
British subjects and other persons as fall in your hands. 
If the white inhabitants at that post and the neighbor- 
hood, will give undoubted evidence of their attachment 
to this State, (for it is certain they live within its lim- 
its,) by taking the test prescribed l)y law, and by every 
other way and means in their power, let them be treated 
as fellow citizens, and their persons and property duly 
secured. Assistance and protection against all enemies 
whatever, shall be afforded them; and the Common- 
wealth of Virginia is pledged to accomplish it. But if 
these people will not accede to these reasonable de- 
mands, they must feel the miseries of war, under the di- 
rection of that humanity that has hitherto distinguished 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 27 

Americans, and which it is expected you will ever con- 
sider as the rule of your conduct, and from which you 
are in no instance to depart. 

"The corps you are to command are to receive the pay 
and allowance of militia, and to act under the laws and 
regulations of this State, now in force, as militia. The 
inhabitants of this post will be informed by you, that in 
case they accede to the offers of becoming citizens of this 
Commonwealth, a proper garrison will be maintained 
among them, and every attention bestowed to render 
their commerce beneficial ; the fairest prospects being 
opened to the dominions of both France and Spain. 

"■It is in contemplation to establish a post near the 
mouth of the Ohio. Cannon will be wanted to fortify 
it. Part of those at Kaskaskia will be easily brought 
thither, or otherwise secured, as circumstances will 
make necessary. 

"You are to apply to General Hand, at Pitts])urgh, for 
powder and lead necessary for this expedition. If he 
' cJinnot supply it, the person who has that which Capt. 
JE^ynn brought from Kew Orleans can. Lead was sent 
to Hampshire by my orders, and that may be delivered 
you. Wishing you success, I am. Sir, your humble 
servant. 

P. HENKY. 

"With these instructions and twelve hundred pounds 
in the depreciated currency of the time. Colonel Clark, 
(for such was now his title,) on the 4th of February 
started for Pittsburgh. It had been thought best to 
raise the troops needed beyond the mountains, as the 
colonies were in want of all the soldiers they could mus- 



28 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ter east of the Alleghanies, to defend themselves against 
the British forces. Claris; therefore proposed to enlist 
men about Pittsburg, while Maj. TV". B. Smith, for the 
same purpose went to the Holston, and other officers to 
other points. None, however, succeeded as they 
hoped to ; at Pittsburg Clark found great opposition to 
the intention of carrying men away to defend the out- 
posts in Kentucky, while their own citadel and the 
whole region about it was threatened by the savage 
allies of England; and Smith, though he nominally suc- 
ceeded in raising four companies, was unable essentially 
to aid his superior officer after all. With three companies 
and several private adventurers, Clark at length com- 
menced his descent of the Ohio, which he navigated as 
far as the Falls, where he took possession of and fort- 
ified Corn Island, opposite the spot now occupied by 
Louisville." 

It is only necessary to state here that Clark's success 
in this expedition was complete and perfect, and that a 
more brilliant campaign has probably never been per- 
formed by any general. More than this does n.or imme- 
diately concern this history. 

It is estimated that Col. Clark left in his new fort on 
this island about thirteen families, wlien he proceeded 
on his journey to Kaskaskia. And so brave, hardy and 
resolute were these pioneers, that, notwitlistanding they 
were separated from the nearest of their countrymen by 
four hundred miles of hostile country, tilled with sav- 
ages whose dearest hunting grounds they were about to 
occupy; notwithstanding they knew that these relentless 
savages were not only inimical on account of the inva- 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 29 



sion of their choicest territory, but were aided by all the 
arts, the presents and the favors of the British in seek- 
ing to destroy their settlements ; notwithstanding all 
these terrifying circumstances, those dauntless pioneers 
went quietly to work, and with the rifle in one hand 
and the implements of agriculture in the other, deliber- 
ately set about planting, and actually succeeded in rais- 
ing a crop of corn on their little island. It is thus that 
Corn Island derived its name. And truly so bold and 
heroic an act as this of that feeble band deserves a per- 
petuity beyond what the mere name of the island will 
give it. Columns have been reared and statues erect- 
ed, festivals have been instituted and commemorations 
held of deeds far less worthy of renown than was this 
little settlement's crop of corn. But like many other 
deeds of true heroism, it is forgotten, for there was 
wanted the pen and the lyre to make it live forever. 
The founders of the parent colony themselves did never 
greater deeds of heroism than did these pioneers of 
Louisville, And yet the very historians of the fact 
speak of it without a word of wonder or of admiration. 
Even in Louisville herself, now in her palmiest days, 
the Pilgrim's Landing is commemorated each returning 
year, while the equal daring, danger and victory of the 
Western Pioneer has sunk into oblivion. But it is 
ever so. Men may live for a hundred years within 
the very roar of ISTiagara, and yet live uninspired until 
the same sound falls upon the ear or the same sight 
greets the eye on the far-ofi" shores of the Evelino or the 
Arno. Erin's Bard has ever told the praises of the 
Oriental Clime; the Lord of English verse has tuned his 



oO IllsrORV OF LOUISMLLE. 

lyre under a foreign sky ; the Mantnan Bard has sung 
'•''arma mrumque Trojce''' and the Poet of Italy has soared 
even beyond the bounds of space in search of novelty ; 
so must we A\ait for a stranger hand to weave the magic 
charm around the pioneers of our forest land. Let this 
frail record, at least, lend its little quota toward the 
honorable preservation of the names of Captain James 
Patton, who piloted the first boat over the falls, Ricn- 
AKD Chenoweth, John Tuel, Wm. Faith, and John 
McManus, the only names that history or tradition has 
given us of those earliest settlers of our native city. 

The chief subsistance of this little band had of course 
to be derived from the products of the chase, for the In- 
dians would never have allowed them to attain a suffi- 
ciency of food by the slow and laborious processes of 
agriculture. Indeed one of the historians of this period 
roundly states that Kentucky could never have been 
settled had the products of the soil been the only re- 
source of its pioneer inhabitants. Fortunately the woods 
of Kentucky so abounded in game, that it was easy for 
its early settlers to supply themselves with abundance of 
food from these sources. But the difficulty of carrying 
their game at all seasons of the year and all stages of 
the water to their insulated home, and the various 
annoyances of their constrained position on the island, 
united with the encouragement they derived from the 
wonderful success of their old commander in Illinois, 
soon determined tlie little colony to remove to the main 
bank of the river. And accordingly in the fall of 1778, 
or more probably in the spring of 1779, having built a 
fort on the eastern side of the large ravine which former- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 31 



ly entered the river at the present termination of Twelfth 
Street, they emigrated thither and thus laid the first 
permanent foundation of the present city of Louisville. 

It was about this time that we have the first rec- 
ord of a social party in our city now so celebrated for 
its elegant entertainments and luxurious repasts. The 
bill of fare on that memorable occasion had at least the 
great and unusual merit of novelty to recommend it. 
We give the account of the event in the words of its own 
historian: "It is related," says he, "that when the first 
patch of wheat was raised about this place, after being- 
ground in a rude and laborious hand-mill, it was sifted 
through a gauze neckerchief, belonging to the mother of 
the gallant man who gave us the information, as the 
best bolting cloth to be had. It was then shortened, as 
the housewife phrases it,wdth Raccoonfat , and the whole 
station invited to partake of a sumptuous feast upon a 
flouT cake!'''' How little of a prophet w'ould he have been 
accounted who had then predicted that, in less than six- 
ty years, the inhabitants of the very spot where they 
then stood should have at their command all the fruits 
and viands of every quarter of the globe ! 

It may not be inappropriate at this period of our 
history, and while upon this subject of parties and 
feasts, to extract, partly from Mr. Marshall, and partly 
from Doddridge and others, some account of the habits of 
life among our progenitors here. To many, especially 
to those who have long been intimate with Western 
Frontier Life, a few of the succeeding pages may present 
nothing that is either novel or interesting; but to those to 
whom the country and its social institutions are alike 



32 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



new, we are sure that notliing more could be offered 
likely to excite their interest or to promote their amuse- 
ment than this vivid and life-like description of the 
manners and customs of the inhabitants of Louisville 
seventy years ago. "We copy the account in full: — 

"Then the women did the offices of the household ; 
milked the cows, cooked the mess, prepared the flax, 
spun, wove, and made the garment of linen or linsey ; 
the men hunted, and brought in the meat ; they plant- 
ed, ploughed, and gathered the corn; grinding it into 
meal at a handmill, or pounding it into hominy in the 
mortar, was occasionally the work of either, or the joint 
labor of both. The men exposed themselves alone to 
danger ; they fought the Indians, they cleared the land, 
they reared the hut or built the fort, in which the women 
were placed for safety. There might incidentally be 
a few articles brought to the country for sale, in a pri- 
vate way ; but there was no store for supply. Wooden 
vessels, either turned or coopered were in common use as 
table furniture. A tin cup was an article of delicate 
luxury almost as rare as an iron fork. Every hunter 
carried his knife ; it was no less the implement of a 
warrior; not unfrequently the rest of the family was left 
with but one or two for the use of all. A like work- 
manship composed the table or the stool ; a slab hewed 
with the axe, and sticks of a similar manul'acture, set in 
for legs, supported both. When the bed was, by chance 
or refinement, elevated above the floor, and given a fix- 
ed place, it was often laid on slabs placed across poles, 
supported on forks set in the earthen floor; or where the 
floor was puncheons, the bedstead was hewed pieces, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 6o 



pinned on upright posts, or let into them by auger 
holes. Other utensils and furniture were of a corres- 
ponding description, applicable to the time. 

"The food was of the most wholesome and nutritive 
kind. The richest milk, the finest butter, and best meat 
that ever delighted man's palate, were here eaten with 
a relish which health and labor only know. These were 
shared by friend and stranger in every cabin with profuse 
hospitality. 

"Hats were made of the native fur; and the bufialo 
wool employed in the composition of cloth, as vv^as also 
the bark of the wild nettle. 

"There was some paper money in the country, which 
had not depreciated one half nor even a fourth as much 
as it had at the seat of government. If there was any 
gold or silver its circulation was suppressed. The price 
of a beaver was five hundred dollars. 

"The hunting shirt was universally worn. This was a 
kind of loose frock, reaching half way down the thighs, 
with large sleeves, open before, and so wide as to lap 
over a foot or more when belted. The cape was large 
and sometimes handsomely fringed with a ravelled piece 
of cloth of a different color from that of the hunting 
shirt itself. The bosom of his dress served as a wallet 
to hold a chunk of bread, cakes, jerk, tow for wiping 
the barrel of his rifle, or any other necessary for the 
hunter or warrior. The belt which was always tied be- 
hind, answered several purposes besides that of holding 
the dress together. In cold weather the mittens, and 
sometimes the bullet-bag occupied the front part of it. 



34 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



To the right side was suspended the tomahawk, and to 
the left was the scalping knife in its leathern sheath. 
The hunting shirt was generally made of linsey, some- 
times of coarse linen, and a few of dressed deer skins. 
These last were very cold and uncomfortable in wet 
weather. The shirt and jacket were of the common 
fashion. A pair of drawers or breeches and leggins, 
were the dress of the thighs and legs; a pair of mocca- 
sins answered for the feet much better than shoes. — 
These were made of dressed deer skin. They were 
mostly made of a single piece, with a gathering seam 
along the top of the foot, and another from the bottom 
of the heel, without gathers, as high as the ankle joint 
or a little higher. Flaps were left on each side to reach 
some distance up the legs. These were nicely adapted 
to the ankles and low^r part of the leg by thongs of 
deerskin, so that no dust, gravel, or snow, could get 
within the moccasin, 

"The moccasins in ordinary use cost but a few hours 
labor to make them. This was done by an instrument 
denominated a moccasin awl, which was made of the 
back spring of an old clasp knife. This awl with its 
buck-horn handle, was an appendage of every shot 
pouch strap, together with a roll of buckskin for mend- 
ing the moccasins. This was the labor of almost every 
evening. They were sewed together and patched with 
deerskin thongs, or whangs as they were commonly called. 

"In cold weather the moccasins were well stuffed 
with deer's hair, or diy leaves so as to keep the feet 
comfortably warm; but in wet weather it was usually 
said that wearing tliem Avas ' a decent way of going 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 35 



barefooted;' and such was the fact, owing to the spongy 
texture of the leather of which they were made. 

"Owing to this defective covering of the feet, more 
than to any other circumstance, the greater number of our 
warriors and hunters were afflicted with the rheumatism 
in their limbs. Of this disease they were all apprehen- 
sive in cold or wet weather, and therefore always slept 
with their feet to the fire to prevent or cure it as well as 
they could. This practice unquestionably had a very 
salutary effect, and prevented many of them from be- 
coming confirmed cripples in early life. 

"The fort consisted of cabins, blockhouses, and stock- 
ades. A range of cabins commonly formed one side at 
least of a fort. Divisions, or partitions of logs, separat- 
ed the cabins from each other. The walls on the out- 
side were ten or twelve feet high, the slope of the roof 
being turned wholly inward. A very few of these 
cabins had puncheon floors, the greater part were earthen. 

The blockhouses were built at the angles of the fort. 
They projected about two feet beyond the outer walls of 
the cabins and stockades. The upper stories were about 
eighteen inches every way larger in dimension than the 
under one, leaving an opening at the commencement of 
the second story to prevent the enemy from making a 
lodgment under their walls. In some forts instead of 
blockhouses, the angles of the fort were furnished with 
bastions. A large folding gate, made of thick slabs 
nearest the spring closed the fort. The stockades, bas- 
tions, cabins and blockhouse walls were furnished with 
port holes at proper heights and distances. The whole 
of tlie outside was made completely bullet proof. 



36 HISTORY OF LODISVILLE. 



It may be truly said that necessity is the mother of 
invention; for the whole of this work was made without 
the aid of a single nail or spike of iron; and for this 
reason, such things were not to be had. 

"In some places, less exposed, a single blockhouse, 
with a cabin or two, constituted the whole fort. 

"For a long time after the first settlement of this 
country, the inhabitants in general married young. 
There was no distinction of rank, and very little of for- 
tune. On these accounts the fii'st impression of love 
resulted in marriage; and a family establishment cost but 
a little labor and nothing else. 

"In the first years of the settlement of this country, 
a wedding engaged the attention of a whole neighbor- 
hood, and the frolic was anticipated by old and young 
with eager expectation. This is not to be wondered at 
when it is told that a wedding was almost the only 
gathering which Avas not accompanied with the labor of 
reaping, log rolling, building a cabin or planning some 
scout or campaign. 

"In the morning of the wedding day, the groom and 
his attendants assembled at the house of his father for 
the purpose of reaching the mansion of his bride by 
noon, which was the usual time for celebrating the nup- 
tials; which for certain must take place before dinner. 

"Let the reader imagine an assemblage of people, 
without a store, tailor, or mantuamaker within a hun- 
dred miles; and an assemblage of horses, without a 
blacksmith or saddler within an equal distance. The 
gentlemen dressed in shoe-packs, moccasins, leather 
breeches, leggins, linsey hunting shirts, and all home- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 37 



made. The ladies dressed in liusey petticoats, and linsey 
or linen bed gowns, coarse shoes, stockings, handker- 
chiefs and buckskin gloves, if any. If there were any 
buckles, rings, buttons or ruffles, they were the relics 
of old times, family pieces from parents or grandparents. 
The horses are caparisoned with old saddles, old bridles 
or halters, and pack-saddles, with a bag or blanket 
thrown over them ; a rope or string as often constituted 
the girth as a piece of leather. 

"The march in double file, was often interrupted by 
the narrowness and obstructions of our horsepaths as 
they were called, for we had no roads : and these diffi- 
culties were often increased, sometimes by the good and 
sometimes by the ill will of neighbors, by falling trees 
and tying grape vines across the way. Sometimes an 
ambuscade was formed by the wayside, and an unex- 
pected discharge of several guns took place, so as to 
cover the wedding party with smoke. Let the reader 
imagine the scene which followed this discharge : the 
sudden spring of the horses, the shrieks of the girls, and 
the chivalric bustle of their partners to save them from 
falling. Sometimes, in spite of all that could be done 
to prevent it, some were thrown to the ground. If a 
wrist, elbow, or ankle happened to be sprained, it was 
tied with a handkerchief, and little more was thought 
or said about it. 

Another ceremony commonly took place before the 
party reached the house of the bride, after the practice 
of making whisky began, which was at an early period; 
when the party were about a mile from the place of 

their destination, two young men would single out to 
3 



38 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



run for the bottle ; the worse the path, the more logs, 
brush, and deep hollows the better, as these obstacles 
afforded an opportunity for the greater display of intre- 
pidity and horsemanship. The English fox chase, in 
point of danger to the riders and their horses, is nothing 
to this race for the bottle. The start was announced by 
an Indian yell; logs, brush, muddy hollows, hill and 
glen, were speedily passed by the rival ponies. The 
bottle was always filled for the occasion, so that there 
was no use forjudges; for the first who reached the door 
was presented with the prize, with which he returned in 
triumph to the company. On approaching them he an- 
nounced his victory over his rival by a shrill whoop. 
At the head of the troop, he gave the bottle first to the 
groom and his attendants, and then to each pair in suc- 
cession to the rear of the line, giving each a dram; and 
then putting the bottle in the bosom of his hunting shirt, 
took his station in the company. 

The ceremony of the marriage preceded the dinner, 
which was a substantial backwoods feast of beef, pork, 
fowls, and sometimes venison and bear meat, roasted 
and boiled, with plenty of potatoes, cabbage, and other 
vegetables. During the dinner the greatest hilarity al- 
ways prevailed, although the table might be a large slab 
of timber, hewed out with a broad-axe, supported by 
four sticks set in auger holes, and the furniture some 
old pewter dishes and plates, the rest wooden bowls and 
trenchers ; a few pewter spoons, much battered about 
the edges, were to be seen at some tables. The rest 
were made of horn. If knives were scarce, the defi- 
ciency was made up by the scalping knives which were 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 39 



carried in sheaths suspended to the belt of the hunting 
shirt. 

After dinner the dancing commenced, and generally 
lasted till the next morning. The figures of the dances 
were three and four handed reels, or square sets, and 
jigs. The commencement was always a square four, 
which was followed by what was called jigging it ofi"; 
that is, two of the four would single out for a jig, and 
were followed by the remaining couple. The jigs were 
often accompanied with what was called cutting out; 
that is, when either of the parties became tired of the 
dance, on intimation the place was supplied by some one 
of the company without any interruption of the dance. 
In this way a dance was often continued till the musi- 
cian was heartily tired of his situation. Toward the 
latter part of the night, if any of the company, through 
weariness, attempted to conceal themselves for the pur- 
pose of sleeping, they were hunted up, paraded on the 
floor, and the fiddler ordered to play "Hang on till to- 
morrow morning." 

About nine or ten o'clock a deputation of the young 
ladies stole ofi" the bride and put her to bed. In doing 
this it frequently happened that they had to ascend a 
ladder instead of a pair of stairs, leading from the dining 
and ball room to the loft, the floor of which was made 
of clapboards lying loose and without nails. This ascent, 
one might think, would put the bride and her attendants 
to the blush ; but as the foot of the ladder was com- 
monly behind the door, which was purposely opened for 
the occasion, and its rounds at the inner ends were well 
hung with hunting shirts, petticoats, and other articles 



40 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

of clothing, the candles being on the opposite side of the 
house, the exit of the bride was noticed but by few. 
This done, a deputation of young men in like manner 
stole off the groom, and placed him snugly by the side 
of his bride. The dance still continued ; and if seats 
happened to be scarce, which was often the case, every 
young man, when not engaged in the dance, was obliged 
to offer his lap as a seat for one of the girls ; and the 
offer was sure to be accepted. In tlie midst of this hi- 
larity the bride and groom Avere not forgotten. Pretty 
late in the night some one would remind the company 
that the new couple must stand in need of some refresh- 
ment; black Betty, which was the name of the bottle, 
was called for. and sent up the ladder; but sometimes 
black Betty did not go alone. I have many times seen 
as much bread, beef, pork and cabbage sent along with 
her, as would afford a good meal for half a dozen hungry 
men. The young couple were compelled to eat and 
drink more or less of whatever was offered them. 

It often happened that some neighbors or relatives, 
not being asked to the wedding, took offense ; and the 
mode of revenge adopted by them on such occasions 
was that of cutting off the manes, foretops and tails of 
the horses of the wedding company. 

I will proceed to state the usual manner of settling u 
young couple in the world. 

A spot was selected on a piece of land of one of the 
parents, for their habitation, A day was appointed, 
shortly after their marriage, for coumiencing the work 
of building their cabin. The fatigue party consisted of 
choppers, whose business it was to fell the trees and cut 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 41 



them ofl' at proper lengths ; a man with a team for 
hauling them to the place and arranging them, properly 
assorted, at the sides and ends of the building ; a car- 
penter, if such he might be called, whose business it 
was to search the woods for a proper tree for making 
clapboards for the roof. The tree for this purpose must 
be straight grained and from three to four feet in diam- 
eter. The boards were split four feet long, with a large 
frow, and as wide as the timber would allow. They were 
used without planeing or shaving. Another division 
was employed in getting puncheons for the floor of the 
cabin ; this was done by splitting trees, about eighteen 
inches in diameter, and hewing the faces of them with 
a broad-axe. They were half the length of the floor 
they were intended to make. 

The materials for the cabin were mostly prepared on 
the first day, and sometimes the foundation laid in the 
evening. The second day was allotted for the raising. 

In the morning of the next day the neighbors collected 
for the raising. The first thing to be done was the elec- 
tion of four corner men, whose business it was to notch 
and place the logs. The rest of the company furnished 
them with the timbers. In the mean time the boards 
and puncheons were collecting for the floor and roof, so 
that by the time the cabin was a few rounds high the 
sleepers and floor began to be laid. The door was 
made by sawing or cutting the logs in one side so as to 
make an opening about three feet wide. This opening 
was secured by upright pieces of timber about three 
inches thick, through which holes were bored into the 
ends of the logs for the purpose of pinning them fast. 



42 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



A similar opening but wider was made at the end for 
the chimney. This was ])iiilt of logs, and made large 
to admit of a back and jams of stone. At the square, 
two end logs projected a foot or eighteen inches beyond 
the wall to receive the butting poles, as they were called, 
against which the ends of the first row of clapboards 
was supported. The roof was formed by making the 
end log shorter until a single log formed the comb of 
the roof; on these logs the clapboards were placed, the 
ranges of them lapping some distance over those next 
below them, and kept in their places by logs, placed at 
proper distances upon them. 

"The roof, and sometimes the floor, were finished on 
the same day of the raising. A third day was common- 
ly spent by a few carpenters in leveling off the floor, 
making a clapboard door and table. This last was 
made of a spilt slab, and supported by four round legs 
set in auger holes. Some three legged stools were 
made in the same manner. Some pins stuck in the logs 
at the back of the house supported some clapboards 
which served for shelves for the table furniture. A 
single fork, placed with its lower end in a hole in the 
floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist, served 
for a bedstead, by placing a pole in the fork with one 
end through a crack between the logs of the wall. This 
front pole was crossed by a shorter one within the fork, 
with its outer end through another crack. From the 
front pole, through a crack between the logs of the end 
of the house, the boards were put on, which formed the 
bottom of the bed. Sometimes other poles, were pin- 
ned to the fork a little distance above these, for the pur- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 43 



pose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while 
the walls were the supports of its back and head. A 
few pegs around the walls for a display of the coats of 
the women, and hunting shirts of the men, and two 
small forks or bucks' horns to a joist for the rifle and 
shot pouch, completed the carpenter's work. 

"The cabin being finished, the ceremony of house- 
warming took place, before the young couple were per- 
mitted to move into it. The house-warming was a 
dance of a whole night's continuance, made up of the 
relations of the bride and groom, and their neighbors. 
On the day following the young couple took possession 
of their new mansion." 

This mansion, slight, inefficient and hastily erected as 
it was, must have afforded but poor shelter against the 
severity of a season which is everywhere referred to as 
one of the coldest ever known. It is asserted that du- 
ring the winter of 1T79-80, still remembered by some 
as " The Hard Winter, " the wild animals were 
"starved and frozen in the forests, while the domestic 
ones fared no better in the settlements." The rigors of 
the season, however, did not prevent the influx of im- 
migration ; although several families were compelled to 
endure its severity on their route through the wilderness 
from Cumberland Gap, and were even delayed in their 
march till the opening of the Spring. As soon how- 
ever as the rivers were freed from ice and the intense 
cold had yielded to the softer aii-s of the new season, 
we hear of the arrival of no less than three hundred 
family boats at the Falls. The causes which influenced 
so large an immigration hither were various, not the 



44 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



least among them being the secmity insured at this fort 
by the presence of Col. Clark, So entire and perfect 
had been the success of this gallant officer in every ex- 
pedition, even against the most fearful odds, that to be 
under his command had come to be reckoned as holding 
a place among the Invincibles. Let the circumstances 
be what they might, it is certain that Louisville with 
her then population of six hundred souls, was gi-owing 
to be a place worthy of high consideration, and accord- 
ingly we find that in May of this year (1780) the legisla- 
ture of Yirginia passed the following 

^''Aot for establisldng the toivn of Louisville at 
tlie Falls of Ohio:' 

" Whereas, sundry inhabitants of the county of 
Kentucky have, at great expense and hazard, settled 
themselves upon certain lands at the falls of Ohio, said 
to be the property of John Conally, and have laid ofi" a 
considerable part tliereof into half acre lots for a town, 
and having settled thereon, have prefered petitions to 
this general assembly to establish the said town. Be it 
titer ef ore enacted^ That one thousand acres of land, 
being the forfeited proj^erty of said John Conally, ad- 
joining to the lands of John Campbell and Tay- 
lor, be, and the same is hereby vested in John Todd Jr. 
Stephen Trigg, George Slaughter, John Floyd, William 
Pope, George Merriweather, Andrew Hines, James 
Sullivan and Marshall Brashiers, gentlemen, trustees, 
to be by them or any four of them laid oflf into lots of 
an half acre each, with convenient streets and public 
lots, which shall be, and the same is hereby established 
a town by the name of Louisville. And he it further 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 45 



enacted^ That after the said lands shall be laid off into 
lots and streets, the said trustees or any four of them, 
shall proceed to sell the said lots, or so many of them 
as they shall judge expedient, at public auction, for the 
best price that can be had, the time and place of sale 
being advertised two months, at the court houses of ad- 
jacent counties; the purchasers respectively to hold their 
said lots subject to the condition of building on each 
a dwelling house, sixteen feet by twenty at least, with a 
brick or stone chimney, to be finished within two years 
from the day of sale. And the said trustees or any four 
of them shall and they are hereby empowered to convey 
the said lots to the purchasers thereof in fee simple, 
subject to the condition aforesaid, on payment of the 
money arising from such sale to the said trustees for the 
uses hereafter mentioned, that is to say: If the money 
arising from such sale shall amount to Thirty Dollars 
per acre, the whole shall be paid by the said trustees in- 
to the treasury of this commonwealth, and the overplus, 
if any, shall be lodged with the court of the county of 
Jefferson to enable them to defray the expenses of erect- 
ing the publick buildings of the said county. Provi- 
ded^ That the owners of lots already drawn shall be en- 
titled to the preference therein, upon paying to the trus- 
tees the sum of thirty dollars for such half acre lot, and 
shall be thereafter subject to the same obligations of set- 
tling as other lot holders within the said town. And 
he it furtliev enacted^ That the said trustees or the 
major part of them shall have power, from time to time, 
to settle and determine all disputes concerning the 
bounds of the said lots, to settle such rules and orders 



46 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



for the regular building thereon as to them shall seem' 
best and most convenient. And in case of death or re- 
moval from the county of any of the said trustees, the 
remaining trustees shall supply such vacancies by elect- 
ing of others from time to time, who shall be vested 
with the same powers as those already mentioned. — 
And he it furtlier enacted^ That the purchasers of the 
lots in the said town, so soon as they shall have saved 
the same according to their res])ective deeds of convey- 
ance, shall have and enjoy all the rights, privileges 
and immunities, which the freeholders and inhabitants 
of other towns in this state, not incorporated by char- 
ter, have, hold and enjoy. 

And he it furtlier enacted^ That if the purchaser 
of any lot shall fail to build thereon within the time 
before limited, the said trustees or a major part of 
them, may thereupon enter into such lot, and may 
either sell the same again and apply the money towards 
repairing the streets, or in any other way for the 
benefit of the said town, or appropriate such lot to pub- 
lick uses for the benefit of said town. Provided^ That 
nothing herein contained shall extend to affect or injm-e 
the title of lands claimed by John Campbell, gentle- 
man, or those persons whose lots have been laid off on 
his lands, but their titles be and remain suspended until 
the said John Campbell shall be released from his 
captivity." * 

The survey of the town under this act, as also the 
second survey made by Peyton and Sullivan, have been 

* Campbell had been taken piisouer by the British and Indians and was 
then in captivity in C.mada, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 47 



in some unaccountable manner destroyed. It is be- 
lieved, however, that the spirit of these surveys is pre- 
served in Jared Brooke's plat, which was adopted in 
1812. Previous to this the absence of any official doc- 
ument of this kind produced much annoyance, dispute 
and litigation, in regard to titles and boundaries. The 
out courses of this survey, as represented by Dr. Mc- 
Murtrie, are "from 35 poles above the mouth of Bear- 
grass Creek, on the bank of the Ohio river, S. 83, W. 
35 poles to the mouth of the creek, thence N. 87, W. 
120 poles, N. 50, W. 110 poles to a heap of stones and 
a square hole cut in the fiat rock, thence (the division 
line) S. 88, E. 769 to a white oak, poplar and beech, N", 
37, W. 390 to the beginning ; no variation," This was 
divided into six streets, running East and West, and 
twelve streets crossing these others at right angles. The 
squares so made were, up to Green Street, divided into 
lots of a little more than half an acre, and South of that 
into five, ten and twenty acre lots. In all the earlier 
proceedings of the legislature in regard to the new town 
we find constant mention made of public squares and 
grounds ; and in the original plat, a slip of 180 feet 
South of Green Street, and running from First to Twelfth 
Streets, was reserved for a public promenade and pleas- 
ure ground. It is a matter of great regret that this 
reservation was not really made. An immense common 
like this, with the forest trees which were then upon it left 
standing, would now be an invaluable addition to the 
town, and would enable us to boast of having the most 
beautiful city in America. We cannot help but wonder 
that the early inhabitants of the city should have per- 



48 rtlSTUKY OP LOUISVILLE. 



mitted those in authority to commit this gross outrage 
upon taste and propriety. Had this slip continued in 
reserve, how beautiful might it nov^ have become ! As 
taste, aided by wealth, began to have its hold among 
the citizens, it would have been upon the fronts of this 
great artery that those beautiful churches, public build- 
ings and dwellings, now scattered over so large a space, 
w^ould have been erected. Here for a distance of more 
than a mile would have been placed a continuous range 
of palace-like structures ; and here, under the shade of 
trees "the gi-owth of quite a century" would the gay, 
the brave and the fair have sat, walked or rode. What 
a picture would have been presented here on a midsum* 
nier night, or at the close of an autumn day ! Groups 
of merry children disporting around, gaily dressed ladies 
and dashing beaux, a throng of proud equipages and 
horsemen, the sound of the infant's prattle, girlhood's 
ringing laugh, the mingling of joyous voices, and 
above all and beyond all the tall and sombre forms of 
majestic trees raised in relief against the sky, the green 
carpeted earth and smiling little flowers, and all this in 
the very heart of a great city — all forms a picture upon 
which the fancy loves to dwell, and a picture which 
might readil}^ have been realized had not that inordinate 
and purely American worship of Gain blotted it from 
the canvass almost before the designer had expressed it 
with his pencil. 

Nor was a flagrant want of taste the worst feature in 
this. Tlic whole of the present site of the city at tliat 
early day was intersected with ponds of stagnant water. 
The second bank had something of a descent towards 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 49 



the interior, and the soil, though alluvions, was of snfS 
cient tenacity to retain the water which fell in rain. 
The result was that the whole of this valley from Bear- 
grass to Salt river was filled with these ponds ; and, as 
a necessary consequence, miasmata were bred, which 
produced a great deal of sickness, more especially with 
strangers. So great indeed was the influence thus in- 
duced that acclimation was then considered as necessary 
here as it now is in New Orleans or on the coast of Africa. 
Many of the present citizens of Louisville will be sur- 
prised to know that this veiy city, now so celebrated for 
its healthiness as to make its salubrity an inducement 
to immigration from all parts of the country, was once 
known as "the Graveyard of the Ohio." The city 
wcrthies who took upon themselves to sell "the Slip" 
in lots, had at that time no data to induce them to be- 
lieve in the future healthfulness of their place and yet 
they must have perceived the increasing prosperity of 
the town ; hence it became almost criminal in them to 
put away what then seemed the only barrier to disease, 
and almost to invite its approaches by allowing the city 
to be compactly built without room for the pure and 
wholesome circulation of air, but shutting up, as it were, 
disease and death within their very walls. As the val- 
ue of property began to increase, however, these gentle- 
men, actuated only by a desire for present gain, put 
aside all these considerations and, having divided the 
slip into four parts exposed it for sale. It comprised 
all that part of the city now emliraced between the north 
side of Green and the south side of Grayson Streets, but 
extended, as before said, up to First Street. It is true 



60 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



that great blame was attached to the trustees for their 
action in this matter at the time, and some movement 
was made toward trying to destroy the sale by legal 
means, this however was never actually resorted to, and 
possession has long since confirmed the titles to all 
lots lying within its limits. Thus was lost to the city 
one of the most valuable, if not the very most valuable 
of all its possessions. The earliest purchasers of this 
property were Messrs. Johnson, Croghan, Anderson and 
Campbell. 

As we have abeady refen-ed to the numerous ponds 
scattered throughout the city, it may not be improper at 
this point to recall the site of some of them, if only to 
show how completely the natural disadvantages of the 
place have been overcome by the energy of its inhabit- 
ants. The first and most important of these was called 
the "Long Pond." It commenced at the present corner 
of Sixth and Market Streets, and inclining a little to- 
ward the South- West, extended as far as the old Hope 
Distillery, on or near Sixteenth Streets. The indenta- 
tion in the ground, still observable, in the alley which 
commences at Seventh Street and lies between Market 
and Jefferson Streets, was the former bed of this pond. 
In the winter, when it was frozen over, this little lake 
was the scene of many a merry party. On the moon- 
light evenings, numbers of ladies and gentlemen were 
to be seen skimming over its surface, the gentlemen on 
skates and the ladies in chairs, the backs of which were 
laid upon the ice and the cluurs fastened by ropes to the 
waists of the skaters. And thus they dashed along at 
furious speed over the glassy surface; beaux and belles, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 51 



with loud voices and ringing laugh — and the merriment 
of the occasion was only increased when some dashing 
fellow, in his endeavors to surpass in agility and daring 
all his compeers, fell prostrate to the ice, or broke 
through it into the water beneath. 

The next in importance to the one above referred to, 
was known as Gwathmey's or Grayson's Pond, It be- 
gan on Centre Street just in the rear of the First Pres- 
byterian church, and extended Westwardly half way to 
Seventh Street. Its form was that of a long elipse; 
and it was carefully kept by its owners for fish. — 
Its margin was surrounded by lofty trees and the turf 
grew to the very edge of the water, which, fed by some 
internal spring, was always clear and pure. This pond 
was really a beautiful spot and formed a delightful 
lounging-place for the idle or the meditative, and one 
which neither of these classes neglected. It was the 
scene of all the baptisms performed here in an early day, 
and no place could be better adapted for this purpose. 
Its grassy edges afforded an agreeable resting-place for 
the spectators, while its shape allowed every one to see, 
hear and partake in the exercises. 

Beside these two principal lakes, there were innumer- 
able others, some containing water only after heavy 
rains and others standing full at all times. Market 
Street from the corner of Third down was the site of one 
of these ; Third Street between Jefierson and Green of 
another; Jefferson Street near the corner of Fourth of 
another, and so on almost ad infinitum. A map of 
the city as it was sixty or even thirty years ago, would 
present somewhat the appearance of an archipelago, a 



52 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



sea full of little islands. Whereas now, from the Wood- 
land Garden to the foot of Fifteenth Street, a distance 
of nearly three miles, not one of these lakes is to be 
seen. It is not to be wondered at that, as the trees were 
removed from the surface and the face of these ponds ex- 
posed to the burning sun, they sliould spread the seeds of 
death all around them. As long as life was precarious 
from a hundred other causes, this one remained unno- 
ticed, but as soon as the settlements began to be relieved 
from other fears for life and property, this was taken up, 
aiid in 1805 the Legislature authorised the Trustees to re- 
move "those nuisances in such a manner as the majori- 
ty of them should prescribe." But the means in the 
treasury being incompetent to this purpose, any efficient 
action in relation to it was delayed until after the fear- 
ful epidemics of 1822 and 1823, of which we shall have 
occasion to speak hereafter, when the Board of Health 
appointed to examine into the causes of the diseases 
and the means of removing the same, urged the prompt 
and immediate removal of these ponds. The Legisla- 
ture during the latter year also authorised the raising of 
$40,000 by lottery to be applied to draining not only 
the ponds in Louisville, but also all those between the 
town and the mouth of Salt River. Under this act these 
ponds were drained, but those below the city were then 
left untouched. Many of them however have been since 
removed under a recent renewal of the act. 

But we have been led beyond the era of which we 
were speaking, and must now return, in another chapter, 
to the history of the town Irom its establishment by law 
in 1780. 



CHAPTEE II. 

1780 — During the same year in which the town was 
established Kentucky received many vakiable additions 
to its inhabitants; among these several persons of wealth 
or of talent came from the Atlantic States to settle 
among the "wild countries of the West," and they were 
accompanied by many others without either of these re- 
quisites, ready at once to seek any and every means of 
existence. Col. George Slaughter accompanied by 150 
State troops descended to the falls and took up his quar- 
ters there during this year. This accession placed the 
inhabitants in comparative security, but it was only 
comparative, for, emboldened by the knowledge that 
their fortress was impregnable to the attacks of their 
foes, men became more careless and unguarded, and the 
Indians were the very foe to take advantage of this fan- 
cied security; so that, as the historian of the period 
says, the very strength of the settlement and the securi- 
ty of its inhabitants "had the effect of apparently draw- 
ing the Indians into that quarter. The fact, too, that 
the Ohio formed the natural boundary separating friend 
and foe was advantageous to the Indians. "They could 
approach its banks upon their own ground ; they might 
cross it when convenient, reach the settlement, strike a 
blow and recross the river before a party could be col- 
lected or brought to pursue them. The river always 



54 HISTOBY OF LOUISVILLEi-' 



presented an object of difficulty and very often an in- 
superable obstacle to further pursuit. In this state of 
things it is no matter of surprise that soldiers were shot 
near the fort, or that in the settlements .of Beargrass 
lives were lost, prisoners taken and horses stolen, with 
frequent impunity, or but sometimes retaliated."* Con- 
nected with these predatory incursions of the Indians, a 
great many wonderful stories are told of '^hair-breadth 
'scapes by field and flood." Histories of incidents in 
the Indian wars are, however, so similar in their char- 
acter and so often told and widely known that we shall 
limit ourselves to the relation of only those that seem 
in their nature to demand admission here. The first of 
these presents one of those rare instances of magnanimi' 
ty and true heroism that ever demands the attention of 
the chronicler. The station w^here Sholbyville now 
stands was a weak and inefficient one, and becoming 
alarmed by the presence of Indians in their vicinity, its 
inliabitants determined to remove to Beargrass. In this 
attempted emigration, however, they were attacked by 
their foes near Floyd's Fork, defeated and scattered. 
Col. John Floyd, hearing of this, immediately started to 
their relief. In his party was Capt. Samuel Wells who 
had been on very unfriendly and even inimical terms 
with his superior officer. Arrived near the point. Col. 
Floyd separated his men and cautiously approached the 
enemy. But despite his skill and caution, he fell into 
an ambuscade and was in his turn defeated with great 
loss. He himself must have Mien into the hands of 
the victors but for the magnanimity of Wells. Floyd 

» Marshall, Vol. I, p. 104. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 55 



had dismounted and was nearly exhausted, being closely 
pursued, when Wells, who had not quitted his horse, 
rode up and dismounting, helped his old enemy into the 
saddle and running by his side, supported and protected 
him till out of the reach of danger. This noble and 
generous action resulted in the fast and lasting friend- 
ship of the two men. 

Another incident will show the education, even in 
boyhood, which the nature of the times demanded. Four 
young lads, two of them named Linn, accompanied by 
"Wells and Brashears, went on a hunting party to a pond 
about six miles South-West of Louisville. They suc- 
ceeded well in their sport, having killed among other 
game, a small cub bear. "While they were assisting 
the elder Linn to strap the bear on his shoulders, and 
had laid down their guns, they were surprised by a par- 
ty of Indians, and hurried over to the "White river towns, 
where they remained in captivity several months. One 
of the paily had in the mean time been caiTied to an- 
other town; and late in the fall the remaining three de- 
termined to effect their escape. When night had come, 
they rose quietly, and having stunned the old squaw, in 
whose hut they were living, by repeated blows with a 
small axe, they stole out of the lodge and started for 
Louisville. After daybreak, they concealed themselves 
I in a hollow log, where they were frequently passed by 
( the Indians who were near them everywhere; and at 
night they resumed their march, guided only by the 
stars and their knowledge of woodcraft. After several 
days, during which they subsisted on the game they 
could procure, they reached the river at Jefferson ville. 



56 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 

Arrived here they halooed for their friends, but did not 
succeed in making themselves heard. They had how- 
ever no time to lose; the Indians were behind them 
and if they were retaken, they knew their doom. Ac- 
cordingly, as two of them could not swim, they con- 
structed a raft of the drift-logs about the shore and tied 
it together with grape vines,' and the two launched upon 
it, while Brashears plunged into the water, pushing the 
raft with one hand and swimming with the other. Be- 
fore they had arrived at the other shore, and when their 
raft was in a sinking condition from having taken up 
so much water, they were descried from this side, and 
boats went out and returned them safely to their friends.* 
Only a few months ago, some gentlemen traveling 
near the south-eastern boundary of the city, discovered 
in an old tree the name of D. Boone and the date 
1779, appended. Considering this a great curiosity, one 
of them removed it from the tree and attempted to confirm 
the authenticity of the date by counting the circles in 
the wood of the tree. Finding these to agree with the 
date marked, he carefully preserved the block containing 
this record, which is now to be seen in the library of 
the Kentucky Historical Society. This circumstance is 
mentioned here only still further to confirm the authen- 
ticity of this block by stating a similar case which oc- 
curred in 1811. In the spring of 1779, Squire Boone, 
the brother of Daniel, in company with two others, went 
from the falls to Bullitt's Lick to shoot buflalo. After 
finishing their sport, they were returning home, when 
night overtook them at Stewart's Spring. The young 

* Directory for 1832. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 57 



men proposed to remain here for the night, but Boone 
objected, fearing an attack from the Indians. They 
accordingly turned off some 300 yards to the West, 
where they encamped for the night. There, while 
Boone and another of the party were arranging for 
the encampment, the third, being idle, amused himself 
by cutting a name and a few words on the bark of the 
tree. Afterwards, in ISll, during some legal investi- 
gation about lands, Boone testified to the existence of 
these marks near Stewart's Spring, and upon examina- 
tion they were found just as he had stated, although 32 
years had elapsed since the cut was made. This fact 
is placed upon record in the Court of Appeals and does 
not admit of a doubt. The instance before referred to is 
of a precisely similar character, and the marks are prob- 
ably equally authentic as those of the last. 

It would be easy to relate numerous instances, similar 
to those already given, both as to the wonderful skill of 
the pioneers in woodcraft, and their daring, danger and 
miraculous escapes in the Indian fights, but, as has al- 
ready been said, these anecdotes, often incorrect, and 
always difiicult to narrate without embellishment, are 
so familiar to the majority of readers, and possess such 
similarity of outline that they would be interesting here 
only to those who have some personal knowledge of the 
actors in those scenes. There will be occasion here- 
after, in speaking of some of the distinguished men of 
another period of this history, to refer again to subjects 
kindred to those above narrated. 

In May of this year, still 1780, the Legislature of Vir- 
ginia, on account of the difficulties attending the proper 



58 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



administration of justice, and for other similar causes oc- 
casioned by the sparseness of the settlements in so large 
an extent of territory, passed an act dividing the county 
of Kentucky into three counties. Of these, the first 
was thus defined: "All that part of the South side of 
the Kentucky river vrhich lies West and Korth of a line 
beginning at the mouth of Benson's Big Creek and run- 
ning up the same and its main fork to the head, thence 
South to the nearest waters of Hammond's Creek, and 
down the same to its junction with the town fork of Salt 
river, thence South to Green river and down the same 
to its junction with the Ohio ;" and was ordered to be 
known by the name of Jefierson, The other two coun- 
ties were called Fayette and Lincohi. 

Beside this there were few occurrences worthy of note 
during the year, which Ic^ar directly upon the subject of 
of this history. Col. Clark had not only made his suc- 
cessful expedition against Pickway, but had built Fort 
Jefferson, five miles below the junction of the Ohio and 
Mississippi rivers and in the territory of the Chickasaws, 
thus adding that tribe to the already numerous foes of 
his adopted State. It was however soon evacuated and 
this evacuation accepted snd acted upon by both parties 
as a tacit treaty of peace. 

Early in the next year — 1781— Col. Clark received his 
commission as Brigadier General. He now began to 
feel the necessity for some new display of activity in de- 
fending the frontier and accordingly he built a sort of 
row-galley upon which he placed some four-pound can- 
non. This galley was kept plying between the Falls 
and the mouth of Licking, and is by some believed to 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 59 



have been of very great service in keeping off the at- 
tacks of the Indians; while others are of opinion that it 
was entirely valueless. Be that as it may; the galley 
was abandoned by the General before the close of the 
year. The Indians are said never to have attacked it 
and but seldom to have crossed that part of the river in 
whicli it moved. Various as are the opinions in regard 
to the utility of Clark's barge, the fact of its having been 
so soon abandoned by the very projectors of the enter- 
prise certainly does not speak much in its favor. 

Another of the most important features of this year, 
perhaps indeed the very most important, was one which 
will now produce a smile. At that time, however, it was 
a subject of serious congratulation to the inhabitants of 
the new country. This was no less than the large im- 
migration of young unmarriec^ women into this region, 
abounding in young unmarried men. One of the his- 
torians of the time, in chronicling this event, remarks, 
with all the soberness and propriety due to the most 
solemn subject, that "the necessary consequence of this 
large influx of girls was the rapid and wonderful in- 
crease of population." Whether this increase was pro- 
duced by purely natural means or by foreign immigra- 
tion is left by him in the profoundest doubt. Perhaps 
that worthy individual known as " The Oldest Inhab- 
itant" could elucidate this point. 

The only other circumstance worthy of notice during 
the year, was the building at the falls of a new fort. 
History gives us no information either as to the name 
or location of this position of defense. Its very name 
and history is swallowed up in that of Fort Nelson 



60 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



which must have been built very soon after, if it was 
not commenced at the same time as this nameless fort. 

Fort Nelson was built in 17S2 by the regular troops, 
assisted by all the militia of the State. It was situated 
between Sixth and Eighth Streets on the North side of 
Main, immediately upon the "second bank" of the river, 
Its name was derived, as some say from Capt. Nelson, 
an influential citizen of Louisville in that day, but more 
probably was named in honor of the third republican 
governor of Virginia. It contained about an acre of 
ground and was surrounded by a ditch eight feet wide 
and ten feet deep, intersected in the middle by a sharp 
row of pickets. This ditch was surmounted by a breast 
work of log pens filled with the earth obtained from the 
ditch, with pickets ten feet high planted on the top of 
the breast work. Next to the river, pickets were deem- 
ed sufficient, aided by the long slope of the bank. There 
was artillery likewise in the fort. Col. Slaughter had 
brought with him several very small cannon, and Gen. 
Clark had placed here a double fortified six-pounder, 
which he had captured at Yincennes. This last piece 
played no inconsiderable part both in the previous and 
subsequent expeditions of this General." The present 
site of Seventh Street passed directly through the gate 
of the fort opposite the head quarters of Gen. Clark. 
The pickets and various other parts of this fort have 
been from time to time, since 1830, dug up in excavat- 
ing cellars at the place jformerly occupied by the post. 
Many of the pickets thus excavated have been made in- 
to walking canes and are valued as memorials of the past. 

This year was perhaps one of the most disastrous 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 61 



and dreadful in the annals of Kentucky. Although 
the settlements at the Falls were comparatively free from 
danger of attack, yet the older stations were suffering 
all the horrors of a bloody war. Several white men, im- 
pelled either by a love of the licentiousness and freedom 
from restraint of the savage life or by fear of punishment 
for their crimes, had united themselves with the Indians 
and constantly urged them against the Whites. The 
most celebrated of these were Girty and McKee, who 
had risen to a commanding rank amons; the red men 
and their knowledge of the settlements enabled them to 
direct their new friends in all their expeditions. Pre- 
vious to the great battle in which these renegadoes 
figured so largely, was the defeat and death of Captain 
Estill on Hinckston's Fork of Licking and also a 
bloody fight at or near Hoy's station. The great battle 
of the year however was at Blue Licks, and it was here 
that these renegadoes, whose names deserve and will re- 
ceive perpetual execration, were successful. The result 
of this battle is well known to all readers of western 
history. Its effect upon the inhabitants of the new 
State was disheartening in the extreme. Gen. Clark, 
who was still at the Falls, seeing the necessity for rous- 
ing the people from their despondence and desirous of 
punishing the foe, proposed to a council of officers an ex- 
pedition against the Indian towns on Miami and Scioto. 
And accordingly nearly one thousand men made rendez- 
vous at the mouth of Licking and started for the towns. 
The Indians discovered their approach too soon for 
anything like a decisive battle, and they found only de- 
serted towns and straggling Indians on their march. The 
4 



62 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



result of this invasion however convinced both sides of 
the superiority of the Whites, and restored the drooping 
spirits in the settlements. After this expedition the 
country remained quiet during the year, nor did any 
considerable party of Indians ever again invade the Stalo. 

In the winter of this year commenced the first of any- 
thing like intercourse between this part of the Ohio and 
New Orleans. Messrs. Tardiveau and Honore, the lat- 
ter of whom resided in this city until within a few 
years, made the earliest trip from Brownsville to that 
port, and subsequently continued to make regular trips 
from Louisville to the French and Spanish ports on the 
Mississippi. Even previous to this. Col. Richard Tay- 
lor and his brother Hancock Taylor, had descended from 
Pittsburg to the mouth of the Yazoo; and Messrs. Gib- 
son and Linn, in 1776, had made a trip from Pittsburg to 
New Orleans with a view to procuring military stores 
for the troops stationed at the former place. These 
gentlemen succeeded in their expedition, having obtain- 
ed 156 kegs of powder, which arrived at the Falls in 
1777, was carried around them by hand, and finally de- 
livered at Pittsburg. 

These early attempts at navigation were soon succeed- 
ed by the constant and regular trips of the Barges. Per- 
haps the most stirring and exciting scenes of western 
adventure were connected with the voyages of these pe- 
culiar craft. The bargemen were a distinct class of 
people whose fearlessness of character, recklessness of 
habits and laxity of morals rendered them a marked 
people. Their history will hereafter form the ground- 
work of many a heroic romance or epic poem. In the 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



63 



earlier stages of this sort of navigation, their trips were 
dangerous, not only on account of the Indians whose 
hunting-grounds bounded their track on either side, but 
also because the shores of both rivers were infested with 
organized banditti, who sought every occasion to rob 
and murder the owners of these boats. Beside all this 
the Spanish Government had forbidden the navigation 
of the lower Mississippi by the Americans, and thus, 
hedged in every way by danger, it became these boat- 
men to cultivate all the hardihood and wiliness of the 
Pioneer, while it led them also into the possession of 
that recklessness and independent freedom of manner, 
which even after the causes that produced it had ceased, 
still clung to and formed an integral part of the charac- 
ter of the Western Bargeman. It is a matter of no little 
surprise that something like an authentic history of 
these wonderful men has never been written. Certain- 
ly it is desirable to preserve such a history, and no book 
could have been undertaken which would be likely to 
produce more both of pleasure and profit to the writer 
and none which would meet with a larger circle of de- 
lighted readers. The traditions on the subject are, even 
at this recent period, so vague and contradictory that it 
would be diflficult to procure anything like reliable or 
authentic data in regard to them. Ko story in which 
the bargemen figure is too improbable to be narrated, 
nor can one determine what particular person is the 
hero of an incident which is in turn laid at the door of 
each distinguished member of the whole fraternity. 
Some of these incidents however will serve so well to give 
an idea of the peculiar characteristics of the bargemen. 



64 HTSTOEY OF LOUISVILLE, 



and possess so much merit in themselves, that they can- 
not be omitted here. Previous to referring to any of 
these anecdotes, however, it may be interesting to intro- 
duce the following excellent description of the manner of 
navigating the Ohio and Mississippi prior to the intro- 
duction of steamboats. It is from the pen of Audubon, 
the celebrated ornithologist, whose death has been re- 
cently announced and has caused a feeling of deep regret 
in all who know how to admire that union of simple 
goodness of character with greatness of mind and un- 
tiring energy of study, which he, perhaps more than any 
other American, possessed. 

"The keelboats and barges were employed," says this 
extract, "in conveying produce of different kinds, such 
as lead, flour, pork and other articles. These returned 
laden with sugar, cofiee and dry goods, suited for the 
markets of Genevieve and St. Louis on the upper Mis- 
sissippi or branched ofl" and ascended the Ohio to the 
foot of the falls at Louisville. A keelboat was general- 
ly manned by ten hands, principally Canadian French, 
and a patroon or master. These boats seldom carried 
more than from twenty to thirty tons. The barges had 
frequently forty or fifty men, with a patroon, and carried 
fifty or sixty tons. Both these kind of vessels were pro- 
vided with a mast, a square sail, and coils of cordage 
known by the name of cordelles. Each boat or barge 
carried its own provisions. "We shall suppose one of 
these boats under way, and, having passed Natchez, en- 
tering upon what were called the difficulties of their as- 
cent. Wherever a point projected so as to render the 
course or bend below it of some magnitude, there w^ 



HIStOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 05 

an ed;ly, the returning current of which was sometimes 
as strong as that of the middle of the great stream. 
The bargemen, therefore, rowed up prett}^ close under 
the bank, and had merely to keep watch in the bow lest 
the boat should run against a planter or sawyer. But 
the boat has reached the point, and there the current 
is to all appearance of double strength and right against 
it. The men, who have rested a few minutes, are or- 
dered to take their stations and lay hold of their oars, for 
the river must be crossed, it being seldom possible to 
double such a point and proceed along the same shore. 
The boat is crossing, its head slanting to the current, 
which is, however, too strong for the rowers, and when 
the other side of the river has been reached, it has drift- 
ed perhaps a quarter of a mile. The men are by this 
time exhausted, and, as we shall suppose it to be 12 
o'clock, fasten the boat to a tree on the shore. A small 
glass of whiskey is given to each, when they cook and 
eat their dinner, and after resting from their fatigue for 
an hour, re-commence their labors. The boat is asain 
seen slowly advancing against the stream. It has reach- 
ed the lower end of a sandbar, along the edge of which 
it is propelled by means of long poles, if the bottom be 
hard. Two men, called bowsmen, remain at the prow 
to assist, in concert with the steersman, in managing the 
boat and keeping its head right against the current. 
The rest place themselves on the land side of the foot- 
way of the vessel, put one end of their poles on the 
ground and the other against their shoulders and push 
with all their might. As each of the men reaches the 
stern, he crosses to the other side, runs along it and 



66 HISTOF.Y or LOUISVILLE. 

comes again to the landward side of the bow, when he 
re-commences operations. The barge in the mean time 
is ascending at a rate not exceeding one mile in the hour. 
"The bar is at length passed, and as the shore in 
sight is straight on both sides and the current uniformly 
strong, the poles are laid aside, and the men being equal- 
ly divided, those on the river side take to their oars, 
while those on the land-side lay hold of the branches of 
willows or other trees, and thus slowly propel the boat. 
Here and there, however, the trunk of a fallen tree, part- 
ly lying on the bank and partly projecting beyond it, im- 
pedes their progress and requires to be doubled. This 
is performed by striking into it the iron points of the 
poles and gaff-hooks, and so pulling around it. The 
sun is now quite low, and the barge is again secm*ed in 
the best harbor within reach for the night, after having 
accomplished a distance of perhaps fifteen miles. The 
next day the wind proves favorable, the sail is set, the 
boat takes all advantages, and, meeting with no accident, 
has ascended thirty miles — perhaps double that distance. 
The next day comes with a very different aspect. The 
wind is right ahead, the shores are without trees of any 
kind, and the canes on the bank are so thick and stout 
that not even the cordelles can be used. This occasions 
a halt. The time is not altogether lost, as most of the 
men, being provided with rifles, betake themselves to 
the woods and search for the deer, the bears or the tur- 
keys that are generally abundant there. Three days 
may pass before the wind changes, and the advantages 
gained on the previous five days are forgotten. Again 
the boat proceeds, but in passing over a shallow place, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 67 



runs on a log, swings with the current, but hangs fast 
with her lea-side almost under water. Now for the 
poles! all hands are on deck, bustling and jDushing. 
At length, towards sunset, the boat is once more afloat, 
and is again taken to the shore where the wearied crew 
pass another night. 

"I could tell jou of the crew abandoning the boat and 
cargo and of numberless accidents and perils, but be it 
enough to say, that advancing in this tardy manner, the 
boat that left New Orleans on the 1st of March, often 
did not reach the Falls of Ohio until the month of July, 
sometimes not until October; and after all this immense 
trouble, it brought only a few bags of coftee and at most 
one hundred hogsheads of sugar. Such was the state of 
things as late as 1808. The number of barges at that 
period did not amount to more than 25 or 30, and the 
largest probably did not exceed one hundred tons bur- 
den. To make the best of this fatiguing navigation, I 
may conclude by saying that a barge which came up in 
three months, had done wonders, for I believe few voy- 
ages were performed in that time." 

In this little history, Mr. Audubon has said nothing 
of what was by far the most "dangerous danger" to 
which the crews of these craft were exposed. This was 
the attack, open and fearless as well as sneaking and 
treacherous, of the Boatwreckers, The country on both 
sides of the river from Louisville to the mouth of the 
Ohio was an almost unpeopled wilderness. On the 
north side of the river from Fort Massac to the Missis- 
sippi, there lived a gang of these desperadoes, whose ex- 
ploits need only the genius of a Schiller to render them 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



the wonder of the world and the admiration of those who 
love to gloat over tales of blood. There was an impu- 
dence and recklessness of life and of danger connected 
with these fellows, coupled with a dash of spirit and 
humor, that would render them excellent materiel in 
the hands of a skillful novelist; but they lacked that 
high sense of honor and that gentlemanly bearing which 
made heroes of the robbers of the Ehine, of Venice or 
of Mexico. 

Their plan of action was to induce the crew of the 
passing "broad-horn" to land, to play a game of cards, 
(the favorite passion of the boatmen) and to cheat them 
unmercifully. If this scheme failed, they would pilot 
the boats into a difficult place, or, in pretended friend- 
ship, give them from the shores such directions as would 
not fail to run them on a snag or dash them to pieces 
against some hidden obstruction. If they were out- 
witted in all this, they would creep into the boats as 
they were tied up at night, and bore holes in the bottom 
or dig out the caulking. "When the boat was sinking, 
they would get out their skiifs and craft of all kinds, 
and in the most philanthropic manner come to save the 
goods from the wreck. And save them they did, for 
they would row them up the little creeks that led from 
swamps in the interior and no trace of them could after- 
wards be seen. Or if some hardy fellow dared to go in 
pursuit of his saved cargo, he was sure to hud an un- 
known grave in the morasses. 

One of the most famous of these boatwreckers was 
Col. Fluger of New Hampshire, who is better known in 
the "West as Col. Plug. This worthy gentleman long 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 69 



held undisputed sway over the quiet boatwreekers about 
the mouth of Cash Creek. He was supposed to possess 
keys to every warehouse between that place and Louis- 
ville, and to have used them for his own private pur- 
poses on many occasions. He was a married man and 
became the father of a family. His wife's soubriquet 
was Pluggy and like many others of her sex, her charms 
were a sore affliction to the Colonel's peace of mind. 
Plug's lieutenant was by him suspected of undue famil- 
iarity with Mrs, Col. Plug. The Colonel's nice sense 
of honor was outraged, his family pride aroused — he 
called Lieutenant Nine-Eyes to the field. 

"Dern your soul," said he, "do you think this sort of 
candlestick ammer (clandestine amour he meant,) will 
pass? If you do, by gosh, I will put it to you or you 
shall put it to me." 

They used rifles, the ground was measured, the affair 
settled in the most proper and approved style. And 
they did put it to each other. Each received a ball in 
some fleshy part, and each admitted that "he was 
satisfied." 

"You are all grit!" said Col, Plug. 

"And you waded in like a raal Kaiutuck," rejoined 
Kine-Eyes, 

Col. Plug's son and heir, who very possibly was the 
real subject-matter of dispute, and who was upon the 
ground, was ordered to place a bottle of whisky midway 
between the disputants. Up to this they limped and 
over it they embraced, swearing that "they were too well 
used to these things to be phazed by a little cold lead;" 
8,nd Pluggy's virtue having been thus proved immacu- 



70 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



late, the duel as well as the animosity of the parties 
ceased. Col. Plug, man of honor as he was, sometimes 
met with very rough treatment from the boatmen, whose 
half savage natures could ill appreciate a gentleman of 
his birth and breeding. An instance of this is recorded 
by the same historian upon whom we have drawn for 
the greater part of the above account of the duel.* A 
broad-horn from Louisville had received rough usage 
from Plug's men the year before, and accordingly, on 
their next descent, they laid their scheme of revenge. 
Several of their crew left the boat before arriving at 
Plug's domain, and quietly stole down the river bank to 
its place of landing. The boat with its small crew was 
quietly harbored, the men hospitably received and in- 
vited to sit down to a game of cards. They were scarce- 
ly seated and had placed their money before them, when 
Plug's signal whistle for an onset sounded in their ears. 
The reserve corps of boatmen also heard it, knew its im- 
port and rushed to the rescue. The battle was quickly 
over. Three of Plug's men were thrown into the river 
and the rest fled, leaving their brave commander on the 
field. Resistance did not avail him. Those ruthless 
boatmen stripped him to the skin, and forcing him to 
embrace a sapling about the size of his dear Pluggy's 
waist, they bound him immovably in this loving squeeze. 
Then seizing the cowhide each applied it till he was 
tired, and so they left him alone with his troublesome 
thoughts and with a yet more troublesome and sanguin- 
ary host of musquitoes, which, lured by the ease with 
which th ey could now get a full meal of that blood which 

* Western Review for January, 1830, 



HISTORY OP LOUISVILLfi. tl 

had before been effectually preserved from their attacks 
by a thick epidermis, sallied forth to the feast by myr- 
iads, Pluggy, finding her bower lonely without its 
lord, came forth to seek him. Closely embracing the 
tree and covered from any immodest exposure of his per- 
son by a gauzy cloud of musquito wings, she found him. 
Clasping her hands, with a Siddons-like start and air, 
she cried, in her peculiarly elegant but somewhat un- 
English dialect: "Yasu Cree! O carissimo sposo, what 
for, like von dem fool, you hug zat tree and let ze ma- 
rengoes eat up all your sweet brud ^ " 

The historian is pained to record that all the answer 
she obtained to this tender solicitude was a curse. Plug 
cursed her, but Plug's evil spirit was aroused. Let the 
reader suppose himself in Plug's position and he will 
not blame that gentleman for the ungenerous reply that 
forced itself to his lips. 

Not very long after this. Col. Plug came to his untime- 
ly end. Just as a squall was coming up. Col. Plug was 
in a boat whose crew had left it for an hour or so, en- 
gaged in the exercise of his profession; that is, he was 
digging the caulking out of the bottom, when the squall 
came on rather prematurely and broke the fastenings of 
the boat. It began to sink, and Col. Plug after vain en- 
deavors to reach the shore, sank Avith it and was seen 
no more. Whether Pluggy still bewails her lost lord 
or has followed him in sorrow to the other shore, history 
does not tell us. 

This sketch of the character of the boat wreckers will 
prepare the reader for forming some idea of the boatmen 
who were their prey. Among the most celebrated of 



^2 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



these, every reader of western history will at once re- 
member Mike Fink, the hero of his class. So many and 
so marvellous are the stories told of this man that num- 
bers of persons are inclined altogether to disbelieve his 
existence. That he did live however does not admit of 
a doubt. Many are yet living who knew him personal- 
ly. As it is to him that all the more remarkable stories 
of western river adventure are attributed, his history 
will form the only example here given to illustrate the 
character of the western bargemen. It is however ne- 
cessary to observe, that while Mike possessed all the 
characteristics of his class, a history of the various ad- 
ventures attributed to him would present these charac- 
teristics in an exaggerated degree. Even the slight 
sketch here drawn cannot pretend to authenticity; for, 
aside from the fact, that, like other heroes, Mike has suf- 
fered from the exuberant fancy of his historians, he has 
also had in his own person to atone to posterity for many 
acts which never came from under his hand and seal. 
As the representative, however, of an extinct class of 
men, his ashes will not rise in indignation even if he is 
again made the "hero of fields his valor never won." 

Mike Fink was born in or near Pittsburg, where certain 
of his relatives still reside. In his earlier life he acted in 
the capacity of an Indian spy, and won great renown for 
himself by the wonderful facility with which, while yet 
a boy, he gained a knowledge of every act and move- 
ment of the foe. But while in the exercise of this cal- 
ling, the free, wild and adventurous life of the boatmen 
attracted his youthful fancy, and the enchanting music 
of the boat-horn goon lured him away from Pittsburg to 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 73 



try his fortunes on the broad Ohio. He had learned to 
mimic all the tones of the boatman's horn, and he long- 
ed to go to New Orleans where he heard that the people 
spoke French and wore their Sunday clothes every day. 
He went, and from an humble pupil in his profession 
soon became a glorious master. "When the river was 
too low to be navigable, Mike spent his time in the prac- 
tice of rifle-shooting, then so eminently useful and desi- 
rable an accomplishment; and in this, as in all his serious 
undertakings, he soon surpassed his compeers. His skill 
with the rifle was so universally acknowledged, that 
whenever Mike was present at a Shooting-Match for 
Beef, such as were then of common occurrence all over 
the country, he was always allowed the fifth quarter, 
i. e. the hide and the tallow, without a shot. This was 
a perquisite of Mike's skill, and one which he always 
claimed, always obtained and always sold for whisky with 
which to "treat the crowd." His capacity as a drinker 
was enormous; he could drink a gallon in twenty-four 
hours without its efiect being perceptible in his language 
or demeanor. Mike was a bit of a wag, too, and had a 
singular way of enforcing his jests. He used to say that 
he told his jokes on purpose to be laughed at, and no 
man should " make light " of them. The consequence 
was, that whoever had the temerity to refuse a laugh 
where Mike intended to raise one, received a sound 
drubbing and an admonition for the future, which was 
seldom neglected. His practical jokes, for so he and his 
associates called their predations on the inhabitants of 
the shores along which they passed, were always char- 
acterized b}' a boldness of design and a sagacity of exe- 



74: HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



cution that showed no mean talent on Mike's part. One 
of the most ingenious of these tricks, and one which af- 
fords a fair idea of the spirit of them all, is told as fol- 
lows: Passing slowly down the river, Mike observed a 
very large and beautiful flock of sheep grazing on the 
shore, and being in want of fresh provisions, but scorn- 
ing to buy them, Mike hit upon the following expedient. 
He noticed that there was an eddy near to the shore, 
and, as it was about dusk, he landed his boat in the ed- 
dy and tied her fast. In his cargo there were some 
bladders of scotch-snuff. Mike opened one of these and 
taking out a handful of the contents, he went ashore and 
catching five or six of the sheep, rubbed their faces very 
thoroughly with the snufF. He then returned to his 
boat and sent one of his men in a great hurry to the 
sheep-owner's house to tell him that he "had better 
come down and see what was the matter with his 
sheep." Upon coming down hastily in answer to Mike's 
summons, the gentleman saw a portion of his flock very 
singularly afiected ; leaping, bleating, rubbing their 
noses against the ground and against each other, and 
performing all manner of undignified and unsheeplike 
antics. The gentleman was sorely puzzled and demand- 
ed of Mike "if ha knew what was the matter witli the 
sheep." 

"You dont know?" answered Mike very gravely. 

"I do not," replied the gentleman. 

"Did you ever hear of the black murrain ?" asked 
Mike in a confidential whisper. 

"Yes," said the sheep owner in a temfied reply. 

"Well, that 's it! " said Mike. "All the sheep up 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 75 



river 's got it dreadful. Dyin' like rotten dogs — hun- 
dreds a day." 

"You don't say so," answered the victim, "and is 
there no cure for it?" 

'••Only one as I knows on," was the reply. "You see 
the murrain 's dreadful catchfn', and ef you don't git 
them away as is got it, they'll kill the whole flock. 
Better shoot 'em right-off; they 've got to die any way." 

"But no man could single out the infected sheep and 
shoot them from among the flock," said the gentleman. 

"My name's Mike Fink!" was the curt reply. 

And it was answer enough. The gentleman begged 
Mike to shoot the infected sheep and throw them into 
the river. This was exactly what Mike wanted, but he 
pretended to resist. "It mought be a mistake," he said; 
"they'll may be git well. He didn't like to shoot man- 
ny's sheep on his own say so. He'd better go an' ask 
some of the neighbors ef it was the murrain sure 'nuf." 
The gentleman insisted, and Mike modestly resisted, 
until finally he was promised a couple of gallons of old 
Peach Brandy if he would comply. His scruples thus 
finally overcome, Mike shot the sheep, threw them into 
the eddy and got the brandy. After dark, the men 
jumped into the water, hauled the sheep aboard, and by 
daylight had them neatly packed away and were gliding 
merrily down the stream.* 

Another story, of a rather diflerent character, is told to 
illustrate the recklessness of the man. It occurred on 
the Mississippi river. A negro had come down to the 

* This incident is by some accredited to William Creasy, a bargeman of 
the James River, 



76 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE 



bank to gaze at the passing boat, who had the singularly 
projecting heel peculiar to some races of Africans. This 
peculiarity caught Mike's eye, and so far outraged his 
ideas of symmetry that he determined to correct it. Ac- 
cordingly he raised his rifle to his shoulder and fired, 
carrying away the offensive projection. The negro fell 
crying murder, believing himself mortally wounded. 
Mike was apprehended for this trick, at St. Louis, and 
found guilty, but we do not hear of the infliction of any 
punishment. A writer in the Western Monthly Re- 
view for July, 1829, in a letter to the editor of that 
magazine, asserts that he has himself seen the records of 
this case in the books of the court, and that Mike's only 
defense was that "the fellow couldn't wear a genteel boot 
and he wanted to fix it so that he could." 

One of his feats v/ith the rifle which Mike most loved 
to boast of occurred somewhere in Indiana. Mike's boat 
was lying to, from some cause, and he had gone ashore 
in pursuit of game. "As he was creeping along with 
the stealthy tread of a cat, his eye fell upon a beautiful 
buck, browsing on the edge of a barren spot a little dis- 
tance oflf. Repriming his gun and picking his flint, 
Mike made his approach in his usual noiseless manner. 
At the moment he reached the spot from which he meant 
to take aim, he observed a largo Indian intent upon the 
same object, advancing from a direction little difierent 
from his own. Mike shrank behind a tree with the 
quickness of thought, and keeping his eye fixed upon the 
liunter, waited the result witli patience. In a few mo- 
ments the Indian halted within fifty paces and leveled 
bis piece at the deer. Instantly Mike presented his 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 77 



rifle at the body of the savage, and at the moment smoke 
issued from the gun of the latter, the bullet of Fink 
passed through the red man's breast. He uttered a yell 
and fell dead at the same instant with the deer. Mike 
re-loaded his rifle and remained in covert some minutes 
to ascertain whether any more enemies were at hand. 
He then stepped up to the prostrate savage, and having 
satisfied himself that life was extinct, turned his atten- 
tion to the buck, took from the carcass the pieces suited 
to jerking and retraced his steps in high glee to the 
boat." * He used to say that was what he called "kill- 
ing two birds with one stone." 

In all his little tricks, as Mike called them, he never 
displayed any very accurate respect to the laws either of 
propriety or property, but he was so ingenious in his 
predations that it is impossible not to laugh at his 
crimes. The stern rigor of Justice, however, did not 
feel disposed to laugh at Mike, but on the contrary of- 
fered a reward for his capture. For a long time Mike 
fought shy and could not be taken, until an old friend of 
his, who happened to be a constable, came to his boat 
when she was moored at Louisville and represented to 
Mike the poverty of his family; and, presuming on 
Mike's known kindness of disposition, urged him to 
allow himself to be taken, and so procure for his friend 
the promised reward. He showed Mike the many 
chances of escape from conviction, and withal plead so 
strongly that Mike's kind heart at last overcame him and 
he consented — l)ut njpon one condition! He felt at 
home nowhere but in his boat and among his men : let 

* Morgan Neville, in. Western Souvenir for 1829. 



78 HISTORY or LOUISVILLE. 



them take him and his men in the yawl and they would 
go. It was the only hope of procuring his appearance 
at court and the constable consented. Accordingly a 
long-coupled wagon was procured, and with oxen at- 
tached it went down the hill, at Third Street for Mike's 
yawl. The road, for it was not then a street, was very 
steep and very muddy at this point. Regardless of this, 
however, the boat was set upon the wagon, and Mike 
and his men, w^ith their long poles ready, as if for an 
aquatic excursion, were put aboard, Mike in the stern. 
By dint of laborious dragging the wagon had attained 
half the height of the hill, when out shouted the sten- 
torian voice of Mike calling to his men — Set Poles ! — 
and the end of every long pole was set firmly in the 
thick mud — Back Her! — roared Mike, and down the 
hill again went wagon, yawl, men and oxen. Mike had 
been revolving the matter in his mind and had concluded 
that it was best not to go ; and well knowing that each 
of his men was equal to a moderately strong ox, he had 
at once conceived and executed this retrograde move- 
ment. Once at the bottom, another parley was held and 
Mike was again overpowered. This time they had al- 
most reached the top of the hill, when Set poles ! — 
Back Jier ! was as-ain ordered and ao-ain executed. A 
third attempt, however, was successful, and Mike reach- 
ed the court house in safety ; and, as his friend, the 
constable, had endeavored to induce him to believe, he 
was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence. Other 
indictments, however, were found against him, but Mike 
preferred not to wait to hear them tried ; so, at a given 
signal he and his men boarded their craft again and 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 79 



Stood ready to weigh anchor. The dread of the long 
poles in the hands of Mike's men prevented the posse 
from urging any serious remonstrance against his de- 
parture. And off they started with poles "tossed." As 
they left the court house yard Mike waved his red ban- 
danna, which he had fixed on one of the poles, and 
promising to "caZZ agaiii''' was borne back to his ele- 
ment and launched ^nce more upon the waters. 

After the introduction of steamboats on the Western 
rivers, Mike's occupation was gone. He could not 
consent, however, altogether to quit his free, wild life 
of adventure; and accordingly in 1822, he, together 
with Carpenter and Talbot, who were his firmest friends, 
joined Henry and Ashley's company of Missouri trap- 
pers, and with this company they proceeded in the same 
year up to the mouth of the Yellow Stone river. Here 
a fort was built and from this point parties of hunters 
were sent out in all directions. Mike with his two 
friends and nine others formed one of these parties, and 
preferring to live to themselves, they dug a hole in the 
river bluff and here spent the winter. While here, Mike 
Fink and Carpenter had a fierce quarrel, caused proba- 
bl;V hy rivalry in the favors of a certain squaw. Previ- 
ous to this time the friendship of these two men had 
been unbounded. Carpenter was equally as good a shot 
as Mike and it had been their custom to place a tin cup 
of whisky on each other's head by turns and shoot it off 
at the distance of seventy yards with their rifles. This 
feat they had often performed and always successfully. 

After the quarrel, and when spring had returned, they 
re-visited the fort and over a cup of whisky they talked 



80 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



over their difficulty and rendered their vows of amity, 
which were to be ratified by the usual trial of shooting 
at the cup. They "skyed a copper" for the first shot 
and Mike won it. Carpenter, who knew Mike thor- 
oughly, declared he was going to be killed, but scorned 
to refuse the test. He prepared himself for the worst. 
He bequeathed his gun, pistols, wages, &c., to Talbot, 
in case he should be killed. They went to the field, and 
while Mike loaded his gun and prepared for the shot. 
Carpenter filled a tin cup to the brim, and, without 
moving a feature, placed it on his devoted head. At 
this target Mike levelled his piece. After fixing his 
aim, however, he took down his gun, and laughingly 
cried, "Hold your noddle steady. Carpenter, and don't 
spill the whisky, for I shall want some presently." Then 
raising his rifle again, he pulled the trigger, and in an 
instant Carpenter fell and expired without a groan. 
The ball had penetrated the center of his forehead about 
an inch and a half above the eyes. Mike coolly set 
down his rifle and blew the smoke out of it, keeping his 
eye fixed on the prostrate body of his quondam friend. 
"Carpenter," said he, "have you spilt the whisky?" 
He was told that he had killed Carpenter. "It is all an 
accident," said he, "I took as fair a bead on the black 
spot on the cup as ever I took on a squirrel's eye. How 
could it happen?" And he fell to cursing powder, gun, 
bullet and himself. 

In the wild country where they then were, the hand 
of justice could not reach Mike and he went unmolested. 
But Talbot had determined to avenge Carpenter, and 
one day, after several months had elapsed, when Mike, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 81 



in a drunken fit of boasting, swore in Talbot's presence 
that he had killed Carpenter intentionally and that he 
was glad of it, Talbot drew out one of the pistols which 
had been left him by the murdered man and shot Mike 
through the heart. In less than four months after this 
Talbot was himself drowned in attempting to swim the 
Titan river, and with him perished "the last of the 
boatmen." 

Mike Fink's person is thus described by the writer in 
the Western Monthly before referred to. "His weigiit 
was about 180 pounds ; height about five feet, nine 
inches ; broad, round face, pleasant features, brown skin, 
tanned by sun and rain ; blue, but very expressive eyes, 
inclining to grey; broad, white teeth, and square brawny 
form, well proportioned ; and every muscle of the arms, 
thighs and legs, was fully developed, indicating the 
greatest strength and activity. His person, taken alto- 
gether, was a model for a Hercules, except as to size." 
Of his character, Mike has himself given the best epi- 
tome. He used to say, "I can out-run, out-hop, out- 
jump, throw down, drag out and lick any man in the 
country. I'm a Salt-river roarer ; I love the wimming 
and I'm chock full of fight." 

The early history of steamboat navigation will appear 
in its proper place. 



CHAPTER III. 

Having passed over these pleasant and exciting his- 
tories of personal adventure, the reader now returns to 
the soberer chronicles of general history. In the spring 
of 1783 it became known in Kentucky that pegice had 
been declared, and this joyous news could not have ar- 
rived at a more opportune time. The people had been 
harrassed by war until they were sick and disheartened, 
and although the news of peace did not drive off all fear 
of attack from the Indians, yet the consciousness that 
the posts formerly held by the British, wliicli had been 
the chief depot of supplies for the Indians, would now 
fall into the possession of their countrymen, and conse- 
quently, that, although not yet arrived, the time would 
come when even the Indian hostility would cease; all 
this put a new life into the settlements of Kentucky. 

Peace with Great Britain having been declared, the 
necessity for an army on the borders of Virginia no 
longer existed; and as that State was pressed for means, 
this army was disbanded, and the commission of Gen. 
Clark withdrawn, with many thanks to this gentleman 
"for his very great and singular services." This was 
soon followed by a much more substantial testimony of 
the favor in which he was held by his native State, for 
during the same year he and his soldiers received a grant 
of one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land lying 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 83 



north of the Ohio, to be located where they chose. They 
selected the region opposite to the falls, and thus was 
founded the town of Clarksville, which still remains in 
a state scarcely more improved than it then was. 

Something like security and confidence was now es- 
tablished, and consequently the immigration here was 
constant and large. Factories for supplying the neces- 
sities of the household were established, schools were 
opened, the products of the soil were carefully attended 
to, and abundant crops were collected; several fields of 
wheat were gathered near Louisville, and the whole 
country changed its character from that of a series of 
military outposts to the more peaceful and more attrac- 
tive one of a newly settled, but rich and fruitful territory, 
where industry met its reward, and where every one 
could live who was not too proud or too indolent to work. 
It was during this year that a new era was opened to the 
citizens of Louisville. A lot of merchandise, all the 
way from Philadelphia, arrived at the falls, and Daniel 
Brodhead opened there a retail store. The young ladies 
could now throw aside all the homely products of their 
own looms, take the wooden skewers from their ill-bound 
tresses, and, on festive occasions, shine in all the glories 
of flowered calico and real horn combs. It is not 
known whether it was this worthy Mr. Brodhead who 
was the first to introduce the luxury of glass window- 
lights, but it is certain that previous to this time such 
an extravagance was unknown ; and there is an incident 
connected with the first window pane which deserves a 
place here, and which is recorded in the words of an 
author who is not more celebrated for his many pub- 



84 HISTORY OF LOtTlSVILLE. 



lie virtues, than for his unceasing and incurable exercise 
of the private vice of punning. After referring to the 
introduction of this innovation, this gentleman says : 
"A young urchin who had seen glass spectacles on the 
noses of his elders, saw this spectacle with astonishment, 
and running home to his mother exclaimed, 'O, Ma ! 
there's a house down here with specs on !" "This," he 
adds, "may be considered a very precocious manifesta- 
tion of the power of generalization in the young Ken- 
tuckian." 

Another curious incident of the times will close the 
record of this year. The notorious Tom Paine had 
written a book ridiculing the right of Virginia to this 
State, and urging Congress to take possession of the 
whole territory. Among the disciples of this absurd 
production were two Pennsylvanians, named Galloway 
and Pomeroy. The latter of these came to the falls and 
produced considerable annoyance to some of the land- 
holders there by the dissemination of his doctrines, which 
induced others to pay no respect to the titles of their 
neighbors. This was an exigency which the laws had 
never contemplated, and although it was everywhere 
admitted that the man deserved punishment, it was dif- 
ficult to find a law bearing upon his case. Legal inves- 
tigation, however, soon drew to light an old law of 
Virginia which enforced a penalty in tobacco upon "the 
propagation of false news, to the disturbance of the good 
people of the colony." Under this law, in May of the 
next year, Pomeroy was tried and sentenced to pay 2,000 
pounds of tobacco, and had also to give security for his 
good behavior in the sum of £3,000, pay costs, &c. A 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 85 

similar fate awaited Galloway, who had gone to Lex- 
ington and had there advocated these same doctrines. 
It was impossible for either of these men to procure the 
amount of tobacco required; and accordingly, when it 
was hinted to them that they would not be pursued if 
they left the country, they gladly embraced the oifer 
and departed. And thus perished the effects of Mr. 
Paine's wonderful book. 

The next year, 1784, does not present in its annals 
anything of much importance in relation to Louisville. 
It was at this time that the first convention was held at 
Danville, where the subject of the separation of Ken- 
tucky and its erection into an independent State was 
first broached. It was not, however, thought advisable 
by this convention to make any serious movement in 
this matter until the following year, inasmuch as the 
people generally had not heard of the proposed separa- 
tion, or had had no time to debate upon its feasibility. 
As yet no press had been established in the territory, 
and oral news was not readily or speedily disseminated 
through the State. On these accounts no action was 
had by the convention at this time, but a new conven- 
tion was appointed for the following May, at which this 
subject was to be seriously considered. 

We find by the report of a traveler in this year, that 
Louisville contained "63 houses finished, 37 jDartly finish- 
ed, 22 raised but not covered, and more than 100 cabins. 

In the year 1785 the convention again met, first on 

the 23d of May, and afterwards on the 8th of August, 

to take action in relation to the formation of the new 

State. An address to Virginia and another to Ken- 

5 



86 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



tucky, together with resolutions in favor of the proposed 
separation, were unanimously passed in the earlier of 
these meetings. These addresses, however, were not 
deemed strong enough by the third or August conven- 
tion, and that meeting accordingly changed them to a 
new and still stronger form of petition or remonstrance, 
and sent them forward for the action of the parent State. 
Accordingly in January of 1786, Virginia passed a law 
allowing independence to Kentucky, on this, among 
other conditions, that the separation should not take 
place until Congress should assent thereto, which assent 
of Congress was not gained until 1791. 

In January of this year the county of Nelson was 
erected out of all that part of Jefferson county south of 
Salt river. 

In the early part of 1785 Gen. Clark, together with 
Messrs. Lee and Butler, had held a treaty with the 
Western Indians at Fort Mcintosh ; but later in the year 
an Indian council of a hostile character had also been 
held on the Wabash, and the Indians had annoyed the 
settlers greatly during the latter part of the year. It 
was therefore thought advisable to enter into another 
treaty with the Lidians on the Wabash, and accordingly 
Gen. Clark and Messrs. Butler and Parsons met those 
tribes at the mouth of the Great Miami in January of 
1786. It was with gi'eat difficulty that the various tribes 
could be brought to treat at all, and, but for Gen. Clark's 
knowledge of their character, and for the high estima- 
tion in which he was held by them, these commissioners 
would have been murdered outright. Judge Hall, of 
Cincinnati, has given a glowing and vivid description 



HI8T0KY OF LOUISVILLE. SY 



of this meeting, which is here inserted. After noticing 
their abrupt and scornful manner of entering the coun- 
cil, he says: "The commissioners, without noticing the 
disorderly conduct of the other party, or appearing to 
have discovered their meditated treachery, opened the 
council in due form. They lighted the peace-pipe, and 
after drawing a few whifi's, passed it to the chiefs, who 
received it. Col. Clark then rose to explain the purpose 
for which the treaty was ordered. With an unembar- 
rassed air, with the tone of one accustomed to command, 
and an easy assurance of perfect security and self-pos- 
session, he stated that the Commissioners had been sent 
to offer peace to the Shawnees ; that the President had 
no wish to continue the war ; he had no resentment to 
gratify ; and, if the red men desired peace, they could 
have it on reasonable terms. 'If such be the will of the 
Shawnees,' he concluded, 'let some of their wise men 
speak.' 

"A chief arose, drew up his tall person to its fiill 
height, and assuming a haughty attitude, threw his eye 
contemptuously over the commissioners and their small 
retinue, as if to measure their insignificance in compar- 
ison with his own numerous train, and then stalking to 
the table, threw upon it two belts of wampum, of differ- 
ent colors — the war and the peace belt 

" 'We come here,' he exclaimed, 'to offer you two 
pieces of wampum ; they are of different colors ; you 
know what they mean ; you can take which you like !' 
and turning upon his heel, he resumed his seat. 

"The chiefs drew themselves up, in consciousness of 
havius: hurled defiance in the teeth of tlie white men. 



88 HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 



They had offered an insult to the renowned leader of the 
Long Knives, to which they knew it would be hard for 
him to submit, while they did not suppose he dared re- 
sent it. The council-pipe was laid aside. Those fierce 
wild men gazed intently at Clark. The Americans saw 
that the crisis had arrived ; they could no longer doubt 
that the Indians understood the advantage they possess- 
ed, and were disposed to use it; and a common sense of 
danger caused each eye to be turned on the leading com- 
missioner. He sat undisturbed and apparently careless 
until the chief who had thrown the belts upon the table 
had taken his seat; then with a small cane w^hich he 
held in his hand, he reached, as if playfully, toward the 
war belt, entangled the end of the stick in it, drew it 
towards him, and then with a switch of the cane threw 
the belt into the midst of the chiefs. The cifect was 
electric. Every man in the council of each party sprang 
to his feet, the savage with a loud exclamation of aston- 
ishment, "Hugh!" the Americans in expectation of a 
hopeless conflict against overwhelming numbers. Every 
hand grasped a weapon. 

Clark alone was unawed. The expression of his 
countenance changed to a ferocious sternness and his eye 
flashed, but otherwise he was unmoved. A bitter smile 
was perceptible upon his compressed lips as he gazed 
upon that savage band, whose hundred eyes were bent 
fiercely and in horrid exultation upon him as they stood 
like a pack of wolves at bay thirsting Ibr blood, and 
ready to rush upon him whenever one bolder than the 
rest should commence the attack. It was one of those 
moments of indecision when the slightest weight thrown 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 89 



into either scale will make it preponderate; a moment 
in which a bold man conversant with the secret springs 
of human action, may seize upon the minds of all around 
him and sway them at his will. 

" Such a man was the intrepid Virginian. He spoke, 
and there was no man bold enough to gainsay him; 
none that could return the fierce glance of his eye. Rais- 
ing his arm and waving his hand toward the door, he ex- 
claimed, "2>c^5, Begone!'''' The Indians hesitated for 
a moment, and then rushed tumultuously out of the 
council-room," To this a writer of the Encyclopaedia 
Americana adds that the Indians were heard aU that 
night debating in the bushes near the fort; a part of 
them for war and a part of them for peace. The latter 
prevailed, and the next morning they came back and 
sued for peace. All this, however, did not remove the 
annoyances experienced from the attacks of the more 
distant Indians. These annoyances were of such a char- 
acter as to induce the general government to send two 
companies of military to the Falls, to authorize the rais- 
ing of militia in Kentucky and the invasion of the hos- 
tile territory. In pursuance of the spirit of this authori- 
ty, if not in direct consonance with it, a body of a 
thousand men had 'rendezvous at Louisville, and march- 
ed thence in September toward Vincennes. At this 
point the little army waited, contrary to the advice of 
Gen. Clark, their commanding officer, for nine days, ex- 
pecting provisions and ammunition. This delay was 
fatal. The soldiers became weary, and seeing the fre- 
quent inebriety of their general, lost their confidence in 
him, and retused their obedience. A body of about 



90 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



three hundred, dissatisfied that their wishes in regard to 
their officers were not attended to, actually returned 
homeward, regardless of the earnest pleadings and al- 
most the tears of their general ; and the rest soon fol- 
lowed them. This expedition was a sad blow to Clark, 
for it put into the hands of his enemies a poweful w^eapon 
against him ; and one which they remorselessly used. 
Had his advice been heeded before the delay was deter- 
mined upon, he would never have become inebriated or 
exposed himself in an undignified light to his soldiery, 
and the expedition might have been successful. Pal- 
liated as may be his fault, it cannot be denied that, in 
this sortie, he was not what he had been. The sun of 
his military glory had not sunk below the horizon, but 
it was obscured by clouds whose thick shadows promis- 
ed long to hide its beams. 

The troubles in relation to the navigation of the Mis- 
sissippi river were now the topics of all absorbing inter- 
est in every part of the West. We have not before al- 
luded to these troubles, preferring to connect them en- 
tirely with the period of which we are now wi'iting. A 
brief retrospect of the question will enable the reader 
readily to understand the subject in dispute and its 
bearing on the residents on the western waters. In 
1781, Spain, having previously declared herself mistress 
of the Great Mississippi, took possession of the North- 
West in the name of her king. Mr. Jay, then in Mad- 
rid, had received instructions not to insist upon the 
American claim to this river, if he could not efi'ect a 
treaty without yielding it. The Spanish Gevernment, 
during the whole of 1782, was laboring to induce the 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 91 



United States not only to yield the Mississippi, Lut also 
to give up a part of her actual possessions in the West; 
and her pretensions to these asserted rights were upheld 
by France. In this condition matters rested till 1785, 
when a representative of the Spanish Government ap- 
peared before Congress. Mr. Jay was at once author- 
ized to negociate with him, and these negociations came 
again before Congress in May 1786 ; Mr. Jay having 
asked the guidance of that body in the matter. He 
showed them the importance of a treaty in commerce 
with a people so intimately connected with them as was 
Spain, and explained the difficulty in forming this treaty, 
owing to the unwillingness of Spain either to yield the 
river or to decrease her boundary claims. He could see 
no safer plan than, as a sort of compromise, to yield for 
a term of twenty-five or thirty years, the navigation of 
the river below the boundaries of the United States. 
This plan was vehemently opposed gby Southern Con- 
gressmen and an attempt was made to take the negocia- 
tions out of the hands of Mr. Jay altogether. In this at- 
tempt they were defeated, and Mr. Jay was not only re- 
tained in office, but was authorized to continue his ne- 
gociations without being bound to insist on the imme- 
diate use of the river. The rumor of these movements 
at the capitol soon reached the West, but in the distort- 
ed form which rumor ever employs. Mr. Jay's position 
was represented as positive and as having been assumed 
without reference to Congress. This news created great 
indignation in the West and led to the first dream of se- 
cession. The people felt that if the navigation of the 
Mississippi was denied them on the one hand, and in 



92 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



case of a quarrel with Spain, the protection of the Gen- 
eral Government on the other, secession was inevitable. 
Either they must conquer Spain or unite with her. 
And as if to show that they were in earnest in the mat- 
ter, "a board of field-officers at Yincennes determined 
to garrison that point, to raise supplies by impressment, 
and to enlist new troops. Under this determination 
Spanish property was seized, soldiers were enrolled, 
and steps were taken to hold a peace-council with the 
natives; all under the direction of Gen. Clark. Soon 
after this, Thomas Green wrote from Louisville to the 
Governor and Legislature of Georgia, which State was 
involved in the boundary quarrel with Spain, that Span- 
ish property had been seized in the North-West as a 
hostile measure, and not merely to procure necessaries 
for the troops, which Clark afterward declared was the 
case, and added that the General was ready to go down 
the river with 'troops sufficient' to take possession of 
the lands in dispute, if Georgia would countenance 
him." The following extract from another letter wiit- 
ten from Louisville, professedly to some one in New 
England, and probably also written by Green, will serve 
as additional evidence to prove that the people were se- 
riously deliberating upon their position. It reads thus: 

'Our situation is as bad as it possibly can be, there- 
fore every exertion to retrieve our circumstances must be 
manly, eligible and just. 

'We can raise 20,000 troops this side of the Alle- 
ghany and Apalacldan Mountains, and the annual in- 
crease of them by emigration from other parts is from 
two to four thousand. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 93 



" ' We have taken all the goods belonging to the Span- 
ish merchants at post Yincennes and the Illinois ; and 
are determined they shall not trade up the river, provided 
they will not let us trade down it. Preparations are now 
making here (if necessary) to drive the Spaniards from 
their settlements, at the mouth of the Mississippi. In 
case we are not countenanced or succored by the United 
States, (if we need it,) our allegiance will be thrown off 
and some other power applied to. Great Britain stands 
ready with open arms to receive and support us. They 
have already offered to open their resources for our sup- 
plies. When once re-united to them, 'farewell, a long 
farewell to all your boasted greatness.' The pro\ance of 
Canada and the inliabitants of these waters, of them- 
selves, in time, will be able to conquer you. You are as 
ignorant of this country as Great Britain was of Amer- 
ica. These are hints which if rightly improved may be 
of some service; if not, blame yourselves for the neglect.' 

"This letter was shown by the bearer of it to several 
persons at Danville, who caused copies to be taken of 
it, and enclosed these to the Executive of Yirginia. 
Early in 1T87, the Council of this State had action on 
this subject, condemned Gen. Clark's conduct, disavow- 
ed the powers assumed by him, ordered the prosecution 
of the persons concerned in the seizure of property, and 
laid the matter before Congress. It was presented in 
detail to that body upon the 13th of April, and upon 
the 24:th of that month, it was resolved that the troops 
of the United States be ejnployed to dispossess the un- 
authorized intruders who had taken possession of St. 
Vincents." * 

* Peiricins' Annals, pp 280 to 282. 



94 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



The lull details of the Mississippi troubles belong 
rather to a history of the State or of the United States 
than to that of a single city. What has already been 
stated in regard to them has been written to show the feel- 
ing that existed on the subject among the earlier resi- 
dents of the city and of the State, as well as to display 
the part which was had in these difficulties by the prom- 
inent men of Louisville years ago. It would be foreign 
to the purposes of the present volume to go further into 
all these details, wherein the celebrated names of Wil- 
kinson, Sebastian, Brown, Innis and Burr, are so in- 
volved, wherein so many splendid intellects were led 
astray from the paths pointed out by honor and patriot- 
ism, and sacrificed at the sordid shrine, of love of self and 
love of gain. Not to leave the unhistorical reader with- 
out any knowledge as to the issue of these troubles, it 
will however be necessary to point out as briefly as may 
be, the ultimate results of all the scheming, plotting and 
unlawful machinations against established government 
v/hich for so long disturbed and disgraced Kentucky. 

Passing over, then, all the intermediate space, we 
come to the fact that in 1795, a treaty was concluded with 
Spain l)y which not only the right to navigate the Mis- 
sissippi was conceded to the United States, but a right 
to deposit at l^ew Orleans was also yielded them. This, 
in effect, was all that Kentucky needed. This grant of 
a right to deposit, however, was only guaranteed by the 
treaty for three years; but with tlie proviso that, should 
the grant be withdrawn at the end of the three years, 
some other place than New Orleans should be afforded 
for the sam purpose, near the niouth of the river. In 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 95 



1802 this right was withdrawn by the Spanish Intend- 
ant and no other place of deposit allowed. Spain had 
evidently violated her treaty, and the whole West was 
again thrown into a state of fearfnl excitement and com- 
motion. Nor was this at all lessened when it became 
known that Louisiana had been ceded to France, and 
that it was now in possession of the dreaded Napoleon. 
Mr. Monroe was immediately dispatched to France to 
have an interview with the First Consul on this subject. 
Napoleon, then upon the eve of a rupture with Eng- 
land, plainly foresaw that it would be impossible for 
him to retain possession of so distant and isolated a 
colony as Louisiana while Great Britain was mistress 
of the seas. His sagacity had therefore determined him 
to get rid of so unprofitable a place as this. And much 
to the surprise of Mr. Monroe, "when he expected simp- 
ly to negotiate for a place of deposite at the mouth of 
the river, he was informed that for the trifling sum of 
fifteen millions, he could purchase a magnificent empire. 
No time was lost in closing this extraordinary sale, as 
Bonaparte evidently apprehended that Louisiana would 
be taken by the British fleet within six mouths after 
hostilities commenced. And thus the first great annex- 
ation of territory to the United States was accomplish- 
ed."* And thus ended a long series of difiiculties which 
had, in their course, blotted the escutcheon of Kentucky 
and tempted so many of her noblest intellects to forget 
their greatness in vain attempts at personal aggrand- 
izement. 

The following extracts from the records of the court 

* John A. McClung in Collins' Kentucky, p. 57. 



96 HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 



during this year will not give a very favorable idea of 
the high degree of enlightenment among our ancestors 
in 1786. On the 21st day of October in this year, it is 
recorded that "negro Tom, a slave, the property of Rob- 
ert Daniel," was condemned to death for stealing "two 
and three-fourth yards of cambric, and some ribbon and 
thread, the property of Jas. Patten." This theft, small 
as it now appears, if estimated in the currency of the 
times would produce an astonishing sum, as will appear 
by the following inventory rendered to the court of the 
property of a deceased person : 

To a coat and waistcoat £250; an old blue do. and do £50. . .£300 

To pocket book £6; part of an old sliirt £3 9 

To old blanket 6s: 2 bushels salt £480 480 6s . 



£78D 6s. 

These were the times when the price of whisky was 
fixed by law at $30 the pint, and hotel-keepers were al- 
lowed and expected to charge $12 for a breakfast and $6 
for a bed. Payment however was always expected in 
the de[)reciated continental money, then almost the only 
currency. 

In the latter part of this year, the legislature of Vir- 
ginia again passed an act giving three years more time 
to the purchasers of lots in Louisville to complete their 
titles by building houses in consonance with the terms 
of the original purchase. The act ojSers as a reason for 
this extension, "the frequent incursions of the Indians 
and the difficulty of procuring materials for building." 
" In the next year — 1787 — a new feature was exhibited 
.0 the people of Kentucky. Mr. John Bradford estab- 
lished at Lexington a weekly newspaper, printed at first 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 97 



on a demy sheet and called the Kentucky Gazette. The 
politicians of the State had now an opportunity to ad- 
dress themselves to the people in a new and easy way, 
and they fully availed themselves of it. s But the estab- 
lishment of a newspaper was not the only proof of ad- 
vancement among the Kentuckians, though it seemed 
the herald of progTcss; for, in one year after the first is- 
sue of the Gazette, a grammar school was opened, an al- 
manac published, and a dancing school established, all 
in Lexington; while still a year later (1789) the first 
brick house was built in Louisville, This structure was 
erected by Mr. Kaye, an ancestor of our well known 
citizen and former Mayor, on Market street, between 
Fifth and Sixth streets; the second brick building in 
Louisville was erected by Mr. Eastin, on the North side 
of Main, below the corner of Fifth street; and the third 
by Mr. Reed at the North Western corner of Main and 
Sixth streets. It was about this time that the present 
city of Cincinnati was laid out. It was first called Los- 
antiville, a name which is thus fancifully derived. Villo 
— the town — anti — opposite — os — the mouth — L — of 
Licking. This name was invented by a Mr. Filson, 
whose philological acuteness deserves immortality. 

The three years given to the owners of lots in Louis- 
ville by the Act of '86, being now expired, the legisla- 
ture again passed an act granting yet other three years 
for the same purpose; and at the same time appointed 
eleven new trustees for the town. The number of trus- 
tees was now so large that it was neither agreeable to 
the citizens, nor did it facilitate the business of the town. 
Accordingly the very next meeting of the Assembly (in 



98 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



1790) passed a new act with the following preamble:— 
"Whereas, It is represented to this present General As- 
sembly that inconveniences have arisen on account of 
the powers given to the Trustees and Commissioners of 
the Town of Louisville, in the County of Jeiferson, not 
being sufficiently defined, for remedy whereof, &c." — 
This Act deposed from office all the former Trustees of 
the town, and in lieu of them, appointed the following- 
persons: "J. F, Moore, Abraham Hite, Abner M. Donne, 
Basil Prather and David Standiford, gentlemen;" as sole 
Trustees, with power to sell and convey lots, levy taxes, 
improve the town by means of taxes so levied, and fill 
vacancies in their own body by election. Under their 
regime the records of the council show quite an im- 
provement in the prosperit^y of the embryo city. 

Early in April of the year now spoken of, Louisville 
received an accession to the number of her citizens in 
the person of the renowned Major Quirey. This man's 
immense muscular power; his daring and activity have 
made him a scarcely less remarkable personage than was 
the celebrated Peter Francisco, of Virginia. Arriving 
here at a period when physical power was far more ap- 
preciated, and held in far higher reverence than mental 
capacity, Quirey soon gained a strong hold on the afl'ec- 
tions of the people around him. He was a native of 
Pennsylvania, but married at nineteen years of age, and 
soon thereafter removed to Kentucky. He was six feet 
and two inches in height, and weighed 250 pounds; he 
had no inclination to embonpoint but was muscular and 
robust. The palm of his enormous hand would easily 
have served a modern fine lady for a writing-desk. — • 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 99 



Physiologists may feel inclined to doubt the truth of the 
assertion, but it is nevertheless confidently believed that 
his breast was a solid plate of bone, no appearance of 
the usual separation of the ribs being discernable, even 
after his death. Like all the men of his day, Quirey 
was a good hater alike of Indians and of cowards. A 
proof of this latter aversion occurred as he was descend- 
ing the Ohio to Louisville. The Indians had recently 
been very successful in their battles with the emigrant 
boats, and were emboldened to attack all within their 
reach. Accordingly, Quirey's boat, containing beside 
himself and his family, only a single individual, whose 
name is not remembered, came in for its share of the 
hostility. A large party of Indians made an attack upon 
them somewhere above the present site of Maysville. 
Quirey fought bravely, but the other man became dread- 
fully alarmed, and running into the boat, concealed him- 
self among the cargo. Quirey, still standing upon his 
boat, received the guns as they were loaded by his wife, 
and handed to him, and fired on either not missing his 
comrade or supposing him dead. After the engagement, 
in which, despite the fearful odds, Quirey was victori- 
ous, they found their trembling and cowardly companion 
who was slowly sneaking from his place of concealment. 
With an impulse quick as thought. Quire}'- seized him 
with one hand around the waist, and bearing him above 
his head, would in another moment have dashed him 
into the waves, but the tears and entreaties of Mrs. Qui- 
rey saved him for the time. With so cowardly a dispo- 
sition, however, it might have spared the poor wretch 
much agony had he perished then; for Quirey set him 



100 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ashore in the forest near Limestone, pointing him the 
way to the fort and there left him, siirronnded on every 
side by objects to him of terror, there to "do or die." 
History is silent as to his fate. 

After reaching Louisville, Quircy soon established his 
reputation for strength in a way that none dared gainsay 
it. One Peter Smith, who had long held undisputed 
sway as the most expert fighter and the strongest man 
in Louisville, and who was withal what is more perti- 
nently than politely called a hidly^ the terror of his whole 
neighborhood, having heai'd that a very large and strong 
man had arrived from Pennsylvania, determined, as he 
said, "either to whip Quirey, or if Quirey proved too 
much for him to leave the country." He accordingly 
found his man, and proposed a trial at a fisty-culf. This 
Quirey declined, urging that it would be better for them 
to turn their strength against the common enemy, and 
professing that he was willing to admit Smith to be his 
superior. Finding that this only made his antagonist 
the more determined, Quirey proposed a trial of skill in 
lifting or in some athletic game. Smith, however, was 
not to be thus appeased, but stripping the upj)er part of 
his body to the skin and tightening his belt, he advanced 
urging Quirey to get ready for the fight. Quirey replied 
that if he would have a fight, he was already prepared 
for it — and as Smith continued to advance upon him, 
Quirey, without moving from his steps, dealt him a sin- 
gle blow with open hand upon the ear. Smith fell sev- 
eral paces ofi* with the blood gushing from eyes, nose and 
ears. But the trial did not end here, for on Smith's re- 
covering iVom the blow, he protested that it was an un- 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 101 



lucky and accidental hit, and demanded a new trial. 
Quirey again tried to avoid the quarrel, but seeing that 
a fight was inevitable, he told Smith that if he made a 
new attack upon him, he would be severely punished. 
Smith continued to advance toward him, and as he came 
within reach Quirey dealt him at the same instant two 
terrible blows, one with the hand and the other with the 
foot. Smith fell as if dead, was taken up and carried to 
Patton's Tavern where he lay six weeks. At the end 
of that time, being sufficiently recovered, he kept his 
promise, leaving the State never to return. 

Major Quirey was a valuable officer and a prompt and 
efficient soldier. During the war, he enlisted about 
6000 men. Soon after his appointment as Captain in 
the ITth Regiment, U. S. A., an incident occurred which 
came near consigning him to an inglorious death. He 
had as pets a pair of large bears, and having occasion 
one day to pass near them he was suddenly seized from 
behind by the male bear and drawn under him, the an- 
imal sinking his nails into the cavity of the body. In 
the scuffle, however, he managed to get hold of the 
tongue of the bear, and drawing it across its teeth, forced 
the animal to bite off its own tongue. This feat he per- 
formed with one hand, while with the other he relieved 
the bear of one of his eyes. The pain he thus occasioned 
enabled him to extricate himself from his formidable foe, 
not, however, without detriment to himself. The Sur- 
geon who dressed his wounds estimated his loss of flesh 
from off the left hip at nearly 12 pounds I * On re- 
covering from his wounds, Quirey returned to service 

* This statement is given on the authority of Major Quirey's own son. 



102 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE, 



and continued in office till the disbanding of his Eegi- 
ment in 1815. In two years afterward he died. His 
widow whose life is full of romantic incident, survived 
him many years, having died only two or three years ago. 
She is still remembered with regret by many Avho have 
so lately listened to her well-told recollections of early 
days in Louisville. 

In July of this year, still 1790, the ninth and last 
Kentucky Convention met. It will be recollected that 
the first Convention had been held in 1784, and since 
that time, each returning year had seemed only to add 
to the difficulties experienced by Kentucky in attaining 
an honorable and independent position in the confede- 
racy. This last Convention, however, saw an end to all 
the troubles experienced by its predecessors. The terms 
offered by Virginia were agreed to, and the 1st June 
1792, was determined as the date of Independence. 
During the month of December succeeding the action of 
this Convention, Gen. Washington brought before Con- 
gress the subject of the admission of Kentucky as a 
State, and on the Idth of February in the next year, 
1791, the long sought and anxiously hoped-for boon was 
granted. The ensuing December was chosen as the date 
of election for the framers of a Constitution for the New 
State, and in April 1792, that instrument was prepared, 
and Kentucky took her position among her sister States. 
Nor was this the only good which time had wi'ought for 
the new State. For the next year, 1793, brought with it 
the last incursions of the Indians into their once loved 
hunting-ground. Their twenty years' struggle was over. 
Their best and bravest blood had been poured in vain; 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 103 

the force of an irresistible destiny was against them; 
stern experience had tanght them that right was not 
might, and, the contest ended, they quietly yielded to the 
all-conqnering hand of the white man the soil that his axe, 
]iis plow, and his gun had redeemed from them forever. 

The suceeding years, till 1800, however rich they may 
be in material for the historian of Kentucky, afford lit- 
tle that bears directly upon the subject before us. The 
Indians having ceased to be an aggressive foe, it was 
thought necessary that the Whites should, in their turn, 
provoke hostility, and accordingly, several expeditions 
were made against them. The Indian fights of Scott, 
St. Clair, Wayne, and others, belong to this period. 

In 1796 the first paper-mill was built in Kentucky. 
It was situated near Georgetown, and is said to have 
been a very productive investment. It is here alluded 
to as a promising mark of social progress. 

With the next year, 1797, we get the first clearly es- 
tablished estimate of the town of Louisville. In the 
records of the Trustees, the first list of taxes occurs. 
These were assessed on the 3d day of July, "on all who 
reside within the limits of the half-acre lots," and one Dr. 
Hall, was appointed to fill the double ofiice of assessor 
and collector. The following is his list of assessments : 

'•50 Horses at 6d per head, is £1 5s Od. 

65 Negroes at Is per head is 3 5 

2 Billiard Tables at 20s each 2 

5 Tavern licenses at 6s each 1 10 

5 retail Stores at 1 Os each 2 10 

Carriages: 6 wheels at 2s per wheel 12 

Town Lots at 6d per £100 is 8 13 6 

80 Tithablcs at 3s each 12 

Making the startling total of £31 15s 6d." 



104 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



And even this sum Hall found it very difficult to col- 
lect, for, nearly two years afterward he reports a list of 
delinquents amounting to £12. That the progress of 
the town was rapid and healthy from the first year of 
Kentucky Independence, is everywhere demonstrated. 
And no greater proof of this is needed than the fact 
that while the assessment of 1797 amounted to scarcely 
more than $150, that of 1809, 12 years later, reached 
the sum of $991. The town was now clearly and firm- 
ly established, it had within itself the elements of pros- 
perity and it was seen that it must one day become great. 
Its history is less identified with that of the State, and 
it comes now to claim consideration on its own merit. 

It was during this year that the office of Falls Pilot 
was created by law, in consonance with the following 
preamble to the act: "Wliereas great inconveniences 
have been experienced and many boats lost in attempt- 
ing to pass the rapids of the Ohio for want of a Pilot, 
and from persons offering their services to strangers to 
act as Pilots, by no means qualified for this business," 
&c. The office was appointed by the Jeflersou County 
Court, and the rate of pilotage fixed by the act was two 
dollars for each boat, while all other persons were for- 
bidden to attempt to perform this service under a penal- 
ty of ten dollars. 

During the next year — 1798 — the Assembly passed 
an act allowing the formation of fire companies by any 
number of persons exceeding forty, who should record 
their names and subscriptions in tlie County Court. 
These companies were allowed to form their own regu- 
lations, impose fines to the amount of £5, and collect 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 105 



the same by suit before a single magistrate, which fines 
were to be applied to the purposes of their institution. 

Previous to this time there had existed no impediment 
to the clandestine importation of goods by the way of 
Louisville; New Orleans being in possession of a foreign 
nation; In 1799, therefore. Congress passed an act by 
which Louisville was declared to be a port of entry, and 
a collector was established at this point. 

The history of Louisville has thus been brought up 
to a period when it occupied a deservedly prominent po- 
sition among western towns. Nature had fitted it to 
take the first rank, and its rapid improvement demon- 
strated its power and capacity to assume that position. 
Thirty years before the time of which we are now writ- 
ing, the compass of the white man for the first time 
broke the soil of Kentucky; the spot whereon this great 
city now rests was a trackless wilderness. The smooth 
waters of the broad Ohio mirrored in their bosom only 
the dark branches of the waving forest. The axe of 
the woodman had not yet awakened the echoes of the 
grove. The deer, the bear and the buffalo by day, and 
the wolf and the panther by night were the only inhab- 
itants of the spot. Less than thirty years elapsed and 
the wand of the magician had changed the scene. The 
forest had been felled, the trowel of the builder had 
been wielded, the streets and alleys of a civilized town 
occupied the spot where the deer had sported in frolic 
play, and hundreds of merry voices shouted where only 
the howl of the w^olf had been heard. That a civilized 
town with a population of eight hundred souls, govern- 
ed by wise laws, possessiiig the usages of society, enjoy- 



106 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ing the luxuries of life and moving onward in its daily- 
walk with the calm stability of its fellows, the growth of 
a century; that such a town should exist where less than 
thirty years before the beast and the savage had held 
undisputed sway, is surely an evidence of progress to 
which no other country in the world can find a parallel. 
It is a fact before which the wild romance of the Slave 
of Lamp almost ceases to be fiction. 

Louisville having now arrived at an importance of its 
own, separate and apart from the State, the remainder 
of this history will be more strictly confined to matters 
of a purely local character. And beginning a new chap- 
ter with a new century, the rest of these annals will 
be as rapidly and strictly detailed as justice to the claims 
of each event will allow. 



CHAPTER IV. 

TliG opening of a new century found Louisville witk 
a population of 800 souls, with power to elect her own 
Trustees, with a revenue arising from her own taxes, and 
in the enjoyment of all the social and political privile- 
ges which were possessed by any of the towns within 
the Western country. Early in the next year the Legis- 
lature of the State, after granting power to the Trustees 
of Louisville to make deeds and conveyances of the town 
lots and providing abundantly for the levying and collec- 
ting of taxes, proceeded to exempt the citizens from work- 
ing on roads out of the town,' except the road leading 
from Louisville to the lower landing, and ordered the ap- 
pointment of a street Surveyor whose duty it should be 
from time to time to call upon the inhabitants of the 
town "to meet together on a certain day at a certain 
place for the purpose of working upon the streets." And 
every person failing to obey such call was liable to a 
fine of six shillings for every such failure. The same 
Act also set aside the sum of twenty-five pounds (being 
part of the annual tax) to be appropriated toward the 
building of a market house on the public ground in said 
town, under the superintendence of the board of Trus- 
tees; and as if still further to show its confidence in the 
capacity of the town to manage its own growing interests, 
it also placed the harbor at the mouth of Beargrass en- 
tirely under the direction of the Trustees. 



108 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Reference to the old books of the town show the pri- 
ces of half acre lots on the principal streets at this time 
to have ranged from seven to fourteen hundred dollars. 

The original plan and survey of the town having been 
lost or destroyed, and property being rapidly increasing 
in value, the Legislature found it necessary during the 
second year of the new century to order a new survey 
and plat to be made out. It also changed the term of 
office of the Trustees from one to two years, and gave 
them the power to fill vacancies in their body by an elec- 
tion among themselves. It also repealed an act which, 
although it had been the subject of repeated legislation, 
had proved a dead letter. This was the act in reference 
to the forfeiture of lots for want of improvements, which 
has been before quoted. The Legislature of this year, 
seeing the futility of further action in regard to this mat- 
ter very properly ordered the act to be altogether repealed 
in all the towns under their jurisdiction, and ordered the 
Trustees of the several towms to make deeds to all pur- 
chasers of lots who could produce them receipts for the 
purchase money of their several properties. 

The next year brought with it a new act of assembly 
ordering a repeal of the act of 1800 in relation to the 
building of a Market house on the public grounds in Lou- 
isville. The reason of this repeal consisted in the fact 
that public grounds were nowhere to be found, these 
valuable adjuncts to the town having been already dis- 
posed of by the sagacious governors of the place. Their 
unwise and illegal action in this matter has heretofore 
occupied the attention of the reader. Their "worship- 
ful wisdoms" thinking only of to-day and careless of a 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 109 



future, were guilty of frequent excessions of their duty, 
wliicli are still felt and still regretted. A striking in- 
stance of this is exemplified in the single fact that a half 
acre lot on Main street, near Fourth, was disposed of by 
their order at public auction for a horse valued at twenty 
dollars. This, however, may cease to be thought so fla- 
grant a breach of trust when it is compared with another 
sale which occurred at or about the same time, whereto 
neither of the parties occupied an ofiicial capacity and 
wherein the article sold, though not generally classed as 
real estate, is supposed to possess great value to the 
owner. A worthy citizen of Louisville about this period 
was in the habit of entertaining a great deal of company; 
and among others there came to his hospitable roof one 
who professed to be a Methodist preacher, but who 
proved to be a wolf in sheep's clothing; for, after enjoy- 
ing all the comforts his host's kindness could afford him 
for several weeks, he started oif one fine summer's morn- 
ing, taking with him, probably through mistake or in- 
advertance, his frienrTs wife! The host missing this 
article of domestic furniture upon his return home, and 
suspecting whither it might have gone, put boot in stir- 
rup and dashed ofi" in pursuit. He soon overtook the 
soi-disant Reverend Gentleman and demanded his prop- 
erty. His right to take his own was not denied, but his 
Reverend friend proposed that as he fancied the subject 
matter of dispute, if his worthy host would witlidraw his 
claim and leave him in peaceable possession, he would 
give him right, title and interest to and in the mare on 
which he rode. To this, after some slight hesitation, the 

husband consented, on condition that the bridle and sad- 
6 



110 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



die of the mare were added to his friend's offer. This 
trifling difference was readily yielded by the opposite 
party, and for many years after this good old man was 
seen pacing through the streets, mounted upon his mare, 
the two ambling along far more quietly than he and his 
former partner had ever done. 

Returning, however to the requisitions of the act, we 
find that, repealing so much of the ordinance as related 
to the location of the market house, it enjoins upon the 
Trustees to fix upon some proper place, such as shall 
seem most convenient to the inhabitants of the town, and 
there to erect a suitable market house." 

It was also during this year that the first of a series of 
smaller towns, attracted by the growing position of Lou- 
isville and hoping soon to rival it, began to spring up. 
Jefferson ville, situated nearly opposite Louisville, on a 
high bank of the Ohio, and in the State of Indiana, was 
laid out in November of this year. Its progress until 
recently has not been rapid, but it has gradually gained 
ground until within the last seven or eight years, during 
which it has come to be a very useful and valuable su- 
burb to the city. More will be said of its history in a 
proper place. 

Within the next year we come to the earliest organi- 
zation of the town of Shippingport. This place, now 
so utterly decayed, once promised not only to rival but 
to surpass LouisviUe. The site occupied by it belonged 
to Campbell's division of the two thousand acres men- 
tioned in the earlier pages of this history, and was by 
him sold during this year to a Mr. Berthoud. Upon 
coming into the possession of this latter gentleman it 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. Ill 



was surveyed, a plan of the town drawn and the lots ad- 
vertised for sale. Its progress however was not rapid 
nntil 1806, when the Messrs. Terascons purchased the 
greater part of the lots embraced in the survey, and to 
their enterprizing endeavors did the town owe its rise. 
Its present importance is so trifling compared with its 
past greatness, and the probabilities of its future emi- 
nence among towns are so small that we shall probably 
not have occasion again to refer to it; and as its brief 
history belongs rather to this than to a later era it will 
be as well to close this account of it in the words of one 
who wrote when it was at the apex of its fame. 

"This iin])OTtant place," says Dr. McMurtrie in his 
sketches of Louisville published in 1819; "is situated 
two miles below Louisville, immediately at the foot of 
the rapids, and is built upon the beautiful plain or bot- 
tom which commences at the mouth of Beargrass creek, 
through which, under the brow of the second bank, the 
contemplated canal will in all probability be cut. * The 
town originally consisted of forty-five acres, but it has 
since received considerable additions. The lots are 75 
by 144 feet, the average price of which at present (1819) 
is from forty to fifty dollars per foot, according to the ad- 
vantages of its situation. The streets are all laid out at 
right angles, those that run parallel to the river, or near- 
ly so, are eight in number and vary from 30 to 90 feet 
in width. These are all intersected by twelve feet allies, 
running parallel to them, and by fifteen cross streets at 
right angles, each sixty feet wide. 

The population of Shippingport may be estimated at 

*Tliis prcJictioa, as is well known, has been verified. 



llii HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



600 souls, including strangers. Some taste is already- 
perceptible in the construction of their houses, many of 
which are neatly built and ornamented with galleries, in 
which, of a Sunday, are displayed all the beauty of the 
place. It is, in fact, the Bois de Boulogne of Louis- 
ville, it being the resort of all classes on high days and 
holydays. 

"At these times, it exhibits a spectacle at once novel 
and interesting. The number of steamboats in the port, 
each bearing one or two flags, the throng of horses, car- 
riages, and gigs, and the contented appearance of a crowd 
of pedestrians, all arrayed in their "Sunday's best" pro- 
duce an effect it would be impossible to describe." 

The reason of the sudden decay of this once flourish- 
ing place is found in the fact that its utility as a point of 
embarkation and debarkation for goods, ceased with the 
building of the Canal. Previous to this time it had 
been, during three parts of the year, the liead of the 
navigation of the lower Ohio. Even as early as this, 
however, the necessity for overcoming the impediment 
to navigation occasioned by the falls was recognized and 
acted upon; and in the year 1804, a Canal Company was 
chartered; but nothing was done beyond surveys until 
long after this time. The subject of the Canal, however, 
was one of absorbing interest with the citizens of Louisville 
from this time forward, and various plans were proposed, 
adopted, rejected and discussed, until the incorporation 
of the present Canal Company in 1825. The movement 
toward removing the obstruction in the river in any form 
had its opponents, who urged that the sole commercial 
advantage to be possessed by the city consisted in the 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 113 



necessity for numerous commission and forwarding hou- 
ses to receive and reship the vast quantities of merchan- 
dise which were to pass up and down this great artery. 
Among the many plans suggested for overcoming the 
break in the navigation of the river, one of the earliest 
and most strongly urged was one which has yet its warm 
and earnest adherents, — this is the construction of a Ca- 
nal on the Indiana shore, — a plan which the citizens 
of Louisville have long since ceased to look upon except 
with aversion, but which the residents in a sister city are 
still urging with a violence which proves, contemptu- 
ously as they may speak of Louisville, that their fears 
of her as a rival city are strong enough to induce them 
to wish to cripple, if not to destroy her. Former sur- 
veys have all long since proved the Kentucky shore to 
be best suited to the purposes of a Canal, and the inad- 
equacy of the present construction to the growing trade 
of the river does not seem to demonstrate the necessity 
for still further obstructing its course, even during high 
water, by an additional ditch on the other bank. 

Another of the ]3lans suggested at this time, proposed 
the blasting of a channel which would unite all the wa- 
ter into one stream at low stages. The bed of the river 
was also surveyed to ascertain the expediency of making 
a slack water navigation by means of one or more dams 
or locks. All of these and various others were howev- 
ever merged in the construction of the present Canal, 
which will be noticed at the appropriate period of this 
history. 

With the next year comes another enactment of As- 
sembly with the following amusing preamble: — "Where- 



114 HISTOJBY OF LOUISVILLE. 



as it is represented to the present General Assembly 
that a number of persons residing in the town of Lou- 
isville, are in the habit of raising, and are now possessed 
of large numbers of Swine^ to the great injury of the 
citizens generally; and that there are a number of ponds 
of water in said town, which are nuisances, and injuri- 
ous to the health of the city and the prosperity of the 
town: Be it therefore enacted — 'That the present Trus- 
tees of the said town, and their successors, or a majority 
of them, shall have full power and authority to remove 
the same &c," The latter of these nuisances has dis- 
appeared under the efforts of the "said successors," but 
even the distinguished Mr., Dickens will bear us wit- 
ness that the law against the former remains to this day 
a dead letter. 

Another of the provisions of this same act invests the 
Trustees with power to levy a sum not exceeding eight 
hundred dollars for the purpose of repairing the streets, 
and in consideration thereof exempts those citizens from 
working on the streets, who shall pay an equivalent of 75 
cents in money. It also gives the Trustees power to make 
regulations and by-laws for the proper preservation of or- 
der, to appoint a tax collector &c., and extends the privi- 
lege of voting for Trustees to the residents of the ten and 
twenty acre lots, thereby increasing the purlieus of the 
town to the present site of Chestnut street. 

In speaking of the navigation and commerce of this 
period. Dr. McMurtrie tells us that in 1806 "six keel 
boats and two barges; the one of thirty tons, belong- 
ing to Reed, of Cincinnati; the other of forty, owned by 
Instone, of Frankfort; sufficed for the carrying trade of 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 115 



Louisville and Shippingport." The rapid and almost 
magical increase of trade in less than fifty years after 
this will at once suggest itself to every reader, 

Mr. F. Gumming, the first European traveler who 
passed through Louisville, of whose record we have any 
knowledge, thus states his impressions of the town du- 
ring this year. He says: — "I had thought Cincinnati 
one of the most beautiful towns I had seen in Ameri- 
ca, but Louisville, which is almost as large, equals it 
in beauty, and in the opinion of many exceeds it. It 
was considered as unhealthy, which impeded its pro- 
gress until three or four years ago, when, probably in 
consequence of the country being more opened, bilious 
complaints ceased to be so frequent, and it is now con- 
sidered by the inhabitants as healthy as any town on 
the river. There is a Market House, where is a good 
market every Wednesday and Saturday. Great retail 
business is done here, and much produce shipped to New 
Orleans." 

In the year 1807, we get the first mention of a news- 
paper published in Louisville. "We are not able how- 
ever to give any account of its origin, ownership or his- 
tory. It is known only from an enactment of Assem- 
bly requiring certain laws to be published in its col- 
umns. It was called the "Farmer's Library." Similar 
mention is also made during the next year of a paper 
called "The Louisville Gazette." Whether it succeed- 
ed the "Farmer's Library," as the acts of Assembly would 
seem to show, or was cotemporary with it is not known; 
a bare mention of its name is all that is left to posterity. 
In America, the presence of the newspaper is ever the 



116 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

marii of peace, and quiet, and comfort. What to those 
of other nations is the luxury of affluent ease is to the 
American the earliest of necessities. The moment the 
rifle is laid aside, the newspaper is taken up. It is in- 
cident upon his every conquest, whether of man or of 
nature. The click of his rifle is succeeded by that of 
his types, and the roar of his cannon has hardly ceased 
till we hear the roll of his press. ^- 

Ten years having now elapsed since a statistical table 
of the town has been examined it may not be uninter- 
esting to furnish another list of the taxable i^roperty with- 
in its limits. It will be recollected that the entire list 
of 1797 amounted to £31 ISs 6d. Let us now turn to 
the list for the present year as shown by the assessor's 
books, and mark the rapid increase of these ten years. 

$74 000 value of lots at 10 per cent $740 GO 

113 White Tythes at 50c 56 50 

82 Black " over 16 years, at 25c 20 50 

83 " " uuderl6« at ]2>^c 10 38 

II Retail Stores at |5 55 00 

3 Tavern Licenses at $2 6 

30 Carriage Wheels at 12)^c per wheel 3 75 

2 Billiard Tables at $2 50 5 00 

131 Horses at 12>^ 16 37 

Total $913 50 

Without pausing to remark further on this comparative 
statement, we pass on to the next event worthy of a place 
in this brief chronicle. This was the erection of a The- 
ater in Louisville, which occurred early in 1808. We 
have no means of ascertaining who were the original 
projectors of this enterprise, but wo have the authority 
of Dr. McMurtrie for stating that until 1818, it was 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 117 



"but little better than a barn." At that time, however, 
it fell into the hands of the celebrated Mr. Drake, under 
whose auspices was established the golden era of the Dra- 
ma in the West. Not only did this gentleman please 
the taste and gratify the judgment of his audience, but 
he absolutely created a high standard of taste and judg- 
ment among them, the efiects of which are still percep- 
tible here. It is chiefly to the education received under 
his management that the critical talent of our Theatrical 
audiences of to day, so well known and so generally ac- 
knowledged by the profession, is owing. Many whose 
names are now prominent in histrionic art took the ini- 
tiatory steps in their career under Mr. Drake's regime 
here. This Theater stood upon the North side of Jef- 
ferson street, between Tliird and Fourth, and was de- 
stroyed by fire in 1843. For a long time previous to its 
destruction, however, it had ceased to be the resort of 
any but the most profligate members of society. Even 
before the destruction of the City Theater, Mr. Coleman 
undertook the erection of a new dramatic temple at the 
South-east corner of Green and Fourth streets, but from 
some cause did not proceed further than the erection of 
the outer walls. This unfinished building was after- 
wards purchased by Mr. Bates of Cincinnati, and was 
by him opened for the first time early in the year 1846, 
since when it has been regularly opened during a part 
of every year, and performances creditable alike to the 
judgement of its manager, and the taste of its audiences 
have been regularly given. 



CHAPTEK V. 

The series of details, mostly of an uninteresting and 
dry nature, which were so hastily passed over in the last 
chapter seem to have been but the precursors to events 
of a character far more important to the interests of the 
city and far more agreeable to the reader. Before we 
approach, however, the one great event which opened a 
new theater of action to the city, and developed resources 
before undreamed of — the steam navigation of the Ohio. 
It will be necessary, to preserve the order in which this 
history has been written, to stop to notice two or three 
lesser matters. 

Louisville, having become, from her peculiar position 
as a half-way house between the North and the South, 
the resort of numbers of strangers, it became necessary 
establish a police for the security of persons and proper- 
ty. This was done in 1810 by the appointment of two 
Watchmen, John Ferguson and Edward Dowler, at a 
salary of $250 per annum; and the records of the time 
do not show that these persons held their office as a 
sinecure. 

The rogues having been thus placed under supervision, 
it became necessary to have a proper place for the ad- 
ministration of justice to them. In pursuance of this 
idea a Court House was erected in the centre of a large 
square now bounded by Fifth, Seventh, Market and 
Jefferson Streets. This building was made of brick af- 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 119 



ter a plan drawn by John Gwathmey and was finished 
in 1811. The precise site of the house is now occnpied 
by a part of the present^ail. It fronted on Sixth Street, 
and consisted of a main building with two wings attach- 
ed. In front of the main building was a lofty Ionic 
portico, supported by four columns. Long before this 
building was removed, these columns, which were built 
of wood, gave convincing and thoroughly American 
proof that they had been consigned to other uses than 
those intended by their projectors. Notwithstanding 
their great size, the attacks made upon them by the pen- 
knives of the attachees of the com-t had actually severed 
one of them, and the wood within convenient reach of a 
man's hand which remained in the other three, would 
hardly have served for one day's good whittUngJ^ 
This edifice was, in its earlier days, the handsomest of 
its kind in the western country. It was pulled down in 
1836, in order to make room for the new structure un- 
dertaken, but never completed, in 1837. 

This sublime monument of the city's folly, was begun 
on a scale of unexampled magnificence, and had it been 
possible to complete it, would have been one of the most 
beautiful buildings in the West. It still stands an al- 
most mouldering ruin, its half-finished grandeur con- 
stantly recalling the parable of the foolish man who 
"began to build and was not able to finish." 

We come now to notice an event of vital importance, 
not only to Louisville, but to the whole West. This 
was the commencement of Steam Navigation on the 
western rivers. In October of 1811, Fulton's steamboat 
called the "New Orleans," intended to run from the 



120 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



port of that name to Natcliez, left Pittsburg for its point 
of destination. At this time there were but two steam- 
boats on this continent; these were the North River 
and The Clermont, and they were occupied on the Hud- 
son River. The New Orleans on her first trip took 
neither freight nor passengers. Her inmates "were Mr. 
Roosevelt, an associate of Fulton, with his wife and 
family, Mr. Baker, the engineer, Andrew Jack, the pi- 
lot, and six hands with a few domestics." Her landing 
at Louisville is thus described in Latrobe's Rambler in 
America. 

"Late at night on the fourth day after quitting Pitts- 
burg, they arrived in safety at Louisville, having been 
but seventy hours descending upwards of seven hundred 
miles. The novel appearance of the vessel, and the 
fearful rapidity with which it made its passage over the 
broad reaches of the river, excited a mixture of terror 
and surprise among many of the settlers on the banks, 
whom the rumor of such an invention had never reach- 
ed; and it is related that on the unexpected arrival of 
the boat before Louisville, in the course of a fine still 
moonlight night, the extraordinary sound which filled 
the air as the pent-up steam was sufiered to escape firom 
the valves on rounding to, produced a general alarm, 
and multitudes in the town rose from their beds to as- 
certain the cause. I have heard that the general im- 
pression among the Kentuckians was, that the comet 
had fallen into the Ohio; but this docs not rest upon 
the same foundation as the other facts which I lay be- 
fore you, and which, I may at once say, I had directly 
from the lips of the parties themselves." 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 121 



The water on the falls did not allow the Orleans to 
pass on to Natchez and she consequently made use of 
her time of detention by making several trips to and 
from Cincinnati, Toward the last of November she was 
enabled to pass the rapids, and after having weathered 
out the earthquakes, reached Natchez about the 1st of 
January, 1812. This boat was finally wrecked near 
Baton Rouge, where she struck on her upward passage 
from New Orleans, 

From this event we may date the prosperity of Louis- 
ville as a fixed fact. At the head of ascending and the 
foot of descending navigation, all the wealth of the west- 
ern country must pass through her hands. Such ad- 
vantages as were here presented could not go unheeded. 
It became only necessary for the people to be convinced 
of the eflScacy of steamboat navigation, and the oppor- 
tunities held out to the capitalist by Louisville must be 
seen and embraced. 

But as if to counterbalance the dawning of this great 
good, there came with it a great evil; for it was in De- 
cember of this year that the first of a series of terrible and 
violent earthquakes was felt at Louisville; these carried 
consternation to the hearts of all her citizens; and during 
the four months of their almost constant recurrancc 
there was little either of leisure or inclination for polit- 
ical progress. The first of the shocks was felt on the 
16th of December at 2 h. 15 m. in the morning. Mr. 
Jared Brookes says of it: "It seems as if the surface 
of the earth was afloat and set in motion by a slight ap- 
plication of immense power, but when this regularity is 
broken by a sudden cross shove, all order is destroyed, 



122 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



and a boiling action is produced, during the continuance 
of which the degree of violence is greatest, and the scene 
most dreadful; houses and other objects oscillate large- 
ly, irregularly and in different directions. A great noise 
is produced by the agitation of all the loose matter in 
town, but no other sound is heard; tlie general conster- 
nation is great, and the damage done considerable ; 
gable ends, parapets, and chimneys of many houses are 
thrown down." The whole duration of this shock from 
the earliest tremor to the last oscillation was about four 
minutes. This shock was succeeded during the same 
day by two others of almost equal power. It is related 
that when it was felt, several gentlemen were amusing 
themselves with cards when some one rushed in crying, 
"Gentlemen, how can you be engaged in this way when 
the world is so near its end?" The card-table was im- 
mediately deserted for the street, where from the vibra- 
tory motion the very stars seemed toppling to a fall. 
"AYhat a pity," philosophized one of the party, "that so 
beautiful a world should be thus destroyed!" "Almost 
every one of them," says a historian of the incident, 
"believed that mother Earth, as she heaved and strug- 
gled, was in her last agony." 

During the prevalence of the earthquakes, it was cus- 
tomary to suspend some object so as to act as a pendu- 
lum in all the rooms and by the degi'ee of its motion to 
determine the probable amount of danger. If the pen- 
dulum began to vibrate freely, the house was instantly 
deserted. Those who inhabited the loftier and statelier 
mansions were, at least for the time being, free from the 
envy of their humble neighbors, with whom they would 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 123 



then have freely exchanged tenements. The possession 
of a princely edifice would then have been a source of 
regret rather than of pride or of congratulation. It is 
said, that unlike the great calamities of other times, this 
one had a good eifect upon the public morals. The rea- 
son of this may probably be found in the fact that while 
this was a source of constant terror and alarm, it was yet 
not of a character to produce that despair which leads 
men to seek to drown all thoughts of a future in the 
reckless pursuit of pleasure or of forgetfulness, 

Mr. Jared Brooks who preserved a faithful scientific 
account of these earthquakes refers to that of the 7th of 
February, 1812, as the most violent endured at any pe- 
riod during their continuance. It occurred at 3 h. 15 
m. in the morning and, as this gentleman's account says, 
"was preceded by frequent slight motions for several 
minutes; duration of great violence at least 4 minutes, 
then gradually moderated by exertions of lessening 
strength, but continued a constant motion more than 
two hours; then followed a succession of distinct tremors 
or jarrings at short intervals until 10 h. A. M., when, 
for a few seconds, a shock of some degree of severity, af- 
ter which frequent jarrings and slight tremors during the 
day, once, at least in ten minutes. At 8 h. 10 m. P. M. 
a shock of second-rate violence, and during some min- 
utes two others at equal periods, connected by continual 
tremor of considerable severity; the last shock was vio- 
lent in the first degree, but of too short duration to do 
much injury. At 10 h. 10 m. P. M, after frequent 
considerable motions, the shock comes on violent in the 
second degree, strengthens to tremendous, holds at that 



124 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



about seven seconds, then trembles away ; severe about 
five minutes ; frequent tremors follow, and a shock of 
third-rate violence. The action then ceases for a time." 
With one more extract from Mr. Brooks, we shall con- 
clude this account of the celebrated earthquakes of 1811. 
This is a table showing the number and relative value 
of all the earthquakes experienced here. It is preced- 
ed by a lucid explanation of the degrees of violence re- 
ferred to in the table, and shows at a glance the number 
and intensity of the shocks. 

^^First-Rate. — Most tremendous, so as to threaten 
the destruction of the town, and which would soon effect 
it, should the action continue with the same degree of 
violence; buildings oscillate largely and irregularly, and 
grind against each other; the walls split and begin to 
yield; chimneys, parapets and gable ends break in va- 
rious directions and topple to the ground. 

'■''Second- Rate. — Less violent, but very severe. 

''''Third- Rate. — Moderate, but alarming to people 
generally. 

'■''FourtTi-Rate. — Perceptible to the feeling of those 
who are still and not subject to other motion or sort of 
jarring, that may resemble this. 

''''SixtJi-Rate. — Although often causing a strange sort 
of sensation, absence, and sometimes gidiness, the mo- 
tion is not to be ascertained positively; but by the vi- 
brators or other objects placed for that purpose, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



125 



TABLE. 



End of each Week 


1 1st 


2d 1 


3d 


4th 


5th 1 


6th Rate. 


Total. 1 


December 22 


3 


2 


3 


1 


12 


66 


87 


« 29 














6 


150 


156 


January 5 





1 


2 


9 


3 


119 


134 


12 





1 





10 





150 


161 


19 











4 


6 


55 


65 


26 


1 


1 


7 


2 


2 


78 


91 


February 2 


1 





4 


6 


7 


191 


209 


9 


.? 


5 


7 


5 


15 


140 


175 


16 








3 


6 


12 


65 


86 


23 








4 


6 


4 


278 


292 


March. 1 








1 


4 


8 


126 


139 


8 








2 


9 


8 


39 


58 


15 




8 J 





2 


3 


6 


210 


221 


Total 


10 


35 


65 


89 


1667 


1874 



The good effect wliicli, as before mentioned, was pro- 
duced upon the morals of the town by this succession of 
dangers does not seem to have been of permanent value 
if we may credit a writer in the Bedford Pa. Gazette, in 
the year 1814, who makes himself very merry over what 
he is pleased to term the "devout paroxisms" of the 
good citizens of this place, as will appear by the follow- 
ing communication. 

He says: "At Louisville, in the State of Kentucky, 
a town about four times as large as Bedford, they have 
no church. "When the earthquake gave them the first 
shock, they grew very devout in one night; and on the 
next day with long faces, they subscribed a thousand 
dollars to build a house of public worship. Thus tlie 
matter rested until the second shock came, when another 
devout paroxism produced another thousand dollars. It 
rested again till a third earthquake and devout fit pro- 
duced another subscription to the same amount. There 
was no more of the matter. The earthquake did not 
return, and the Louisvillians concluded the devil would 



126 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



not send for them for a few years more, and in the mean 
time determined to be merry. They immediately built 
a theater, which cost them seven thousand dollars, and 
employed a company of actors, the offscourings of mar- 
atime city theaters. To this company they gave about 
five hundred dollars per week, till at length the actors, 
instead of raising the curtain, broke through it and 
broke each other's heads with sticks, and the heads of 
some of the auditors who interfered. The earthquakes 
have lately begun to shake Louisville again, but whether 
they laugh or pray I have not heard." 

The Western Courier, xDublished at Louisville, copies 
this article, with some stringent remarks upon its con- 
tents; and attributes the authorship of it to some actor 
whose efforts in his profession had not been duly honor- 
ed by the people whom he villifies. Who is in the right 
in this matter it is now impossible to say; but it is cer- 
tain that the author of the article in question is guilty 
of an anachronism, for it will be remembered that the 
theater was built previous to the commencement of the 
earthquakes. It is, however, unquestionably true that 
the theater was built several years before a church edi- 
fice of any kind was attempted. 

The newspaper from which this article was copied 
was commenced here in October or November of 1810, 
by Nicholas Clarke. It was published weekly at three 
dollars per annum, and contained for the most part little 
else than news of the wars, acts of Assembly and of Con- 
gress, and advertisements. In 1814, Mann Butler join- 
ed Mr, Clarke in the editorship of the paper, but did not 
continue long in his chair. The Louisville Correspond- 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 127 



ent was issued at about the same time, and edited by 
Col. E. C. Barry. It was discontinued in 1817. It is 
believed that there are no files of it in existence now, ^ 
Reference to all the early files of newspapers publish- 
ed at this day, will show how gradual and yet how cer- 
tain was the progress of steamboat navigation on the 
Ohio. The amval of every boat was carefully noted 
and always accompanied with a great flourish of trum- 
pets and a renewed eulogy on the wonders of the new 
invention. Much credit is due to Capt. H. M. Shreve, 
lately of St. Louis, for his indefatigable and successful 
, endeavors to improve as well as to enlarge this promi- 
I nent branch of commerce. As is well known, Fulton 
' and Livingston held a patent for the entire right to nav- 
igate all the rivers in the United Staftes for a certain 
' number of years. But Mr. Shreve, seeing the injustice 
'of this grant and doubting its legality, openly defied it; 
and finally, after much ctibrt and not a little pecuniary 
' loss, succeeded in 1816 in removing the grant and throw- 
ing open the navigation of the public highways to all . 
! It will not be uninteresting to the reader, while upon 
' this fruitful topic, to glance at a list of all the steamboats 
1 employed upon the western waters until 1819. This 
I list is copied from Dr. McMm-trie, whose data is not al- 
jways implicitly reliable. It has however been correct- 
i ed as far as was practicable at this remote period. The 
j present tense, whenever employed, is meant to refer to 
\ the year 1819. 



128 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



STEAMBOATS EMPLOYED ON THE WESTERN WATERS FROM 
1812 TO 1819. 

1st. The Orleans — the first boat built at Pittsburg, 
owned by and constructed under the superintendence of 
Mr. Fulton. Sailed from Pittsburg in October, 1811, and 
arrived at her destination, Natchez, about the Ist Janu- 
ary, 1812. She ran between New Orleans and Natchez 
about two years, making her voyages to average seven- 
teen days; was wrecked near Baton Rouge, where she 
sunk on the upward bound passage; 400 tons burthen. 

2d. The Comet — owned by Samuel Smith; built at 
Pittsburg by Daniel French; stern-wheel and vibrating 
cylinder; on French's patent granted in 1809. The 
Comet made a voyage to Louisville in the summer of 
1813; and descended to New Orleans in the Spring of 
1814; made two voyages to Natchez, and was sold; the 
engine put up in a cotton gin; 45 tons burthen. 

3d. The Vesuvius — built at Pittsburg by Fulton, 
and owned by a company of gentlemen belonging to New 
York and New Orleans. Sailed from New Orleans in 
the Spring of 1814, commanded by Captain Frank Og- 
den. She was then employed some months between 
New Orleans and Natchez, under the command of Cap- 
tain Clemmont, who was succeeded by Captain John 
Dellart; shortly after she took fire, near the city of New 
Orleans and burned to the water's edge; having a valu- 
able cargo on board. She was afterwards raised and 
built upon at New Orleans. She has since been in the 
Louisville trade, and has lately been sold to a company 
at Natchez; 390 tons burthen. i 

4tli. The Enterprise — built at Brownsville, Pennsyl- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 129 



vania, on the Monongahela, by Daniel French, on his 
patent, and owned by a company at that place. She 
made two voyages to Louisville in the summer of 1814, 
Tinder the command of Captain J. Gregg. On the first 
of December she took in a cargo of ordinance stores at 
Tittsburg, and sailed for New Orleans, commanded by 
Captain H. M. Shreve, and arrived at New Orleans on 
the 14:th of the same month. She made one voyage to 
the Gulf of Mexico as a cartel; one voyage to the rapids of 
Red River with troops; nine voyages to Katchez; set out 
■for Pittsburgh on the 6th May, and arrived at Shipping- 
port on the 30th, (25 days out,) being the first steamboat 
that ever arrived at that port from New Orleans. From 
thence she proceeded on to Pittsburgh, and the com- 
mand was given to Captain D. Wooley, who lost her 
about twelve months after in Rock harbor at Shipping- 
port; 45 tons burthen. 

6th. Etna — built at Pittsburg, and owned by the same 
company as the Ye8xmms\ sailed from Pittsburg for New 
Orleans in Marcli, 1815, under the command of Captain 
A. Gale, and arrived in April following; continued in 
the Natchez trade. Was then commanded by Captain 
R. De Hart, who made six voyages in her to Louisville; 
and is now commanded by Captain A. Gale in the same 
trade. 

6th . The Dispat cTi — built at Brownsville, on French's 
patent, and owned by the same company as the Enter- 
prise. She made several voyages ft-om Pittsburg to 
Louisville, and one from New Orleans to Shippingport, 
where she now lies a wreck, her engine out; was com- 
manded by Captain J. Gregg; 25 tons burthen. 



130 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



7th and 8th. The Biifalo, 300 tons; and James Mo,, 
roe, 90 tons; built at Pittsburg by Latrobe, for a compa- 
ny at New York, but failed in finishing them. They 
were sold at Sheriff's sale, and fell into the hands oi' 
Mr. Whiting, and finished by him with engines; botli 
dull sailers. 

9th. Washiyigton — a two-decker; built at Wheeling, 
Virginia; constructed and partly owned by Captain II. 
M. Shreve; her engine was made at Brownsville, under 
the immediate direction of Captain Shreve. Her boil- 
ers are on the upper deck, being the first boat on that 
plan, and is a valuable improvement by Captain Shreve, 
which is now generally in use. The Washington crossed 
the falls in September, 1816, commanded by Captain 
Shreve, went to New Orleans, and returned to Louisville 
in the Mdnter. In the month of March, 1817, she left 
Shippingport a second time, proceeded to New Orleans, 1 
and returned to Shippingport, being absent but 45 days. 
This was the trip that convinced the despairing public 
that steamboat navigation would succeed on the western 
waters. She has since been running with similar suc- 
cess in the same trade; 400 tons burthen. 

10th. The Franldin — built at Pittsburg, by Messrs. 
Shires and Cromwell; engine built by George Evans; 
sailed from Pittsburg in December 1816; was sold at 
New Orleans, and has been in the Louisville and St, Lou- 
is trade since that time; she was sunk in the Mississippi 
near St. Genevieve a few months since, under the com- 
mand of Captain Reed, on her way to St. Louis; 150 
tons burthen. 

lltli. The Oliver Evan8\ (now the Constitution,) 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 131 



75 tons; was built at Pittsburg by Mr. George Evans; 
engine his patent. She left Pittsburg in December, 1816, 
for New Orleans; in 1817 she burst one of her boilers, 
off Coupee, by which eleven men lost their lives, prin- 
cipally passengers. Has done but little since. Is now 
owned by Mr. George Sutton and others of Pittsburg; 
75 tons burthen. 

12th. The Harriet — ^built at Pittsburg; owned and 
constructed by Mr. Armstrong, of Williamsport, Penn- 
sylvania. She sailed from Pittsburg, October, 1816, for 
New Orleans, and crossed the falls in March, 1817; made 
one voyage to New Orleans, and has since run between 
' that place and the Muscle Shoals; 40 tons burthen. 
I 13th. The Pilie — a small boat built by Mr. Prentiss, 
I of Henderson, Kentucky; run some time from Louis- 
I ville to St. Louis; from thence in the Red River trade. 
\ Was lost on a sawyer, March, 1818; 25 tons burthen, 
j 14th. The Kentxicky — built at Frankfort, Kentucky, 
I and owned by Hanson and Boswell; in the Louisville 
i trade; 80 tons burthen. 

, 15th. The Govs. Shelby — built at Louisville, Ken- 
I tucky, by Messrs. Gray, Gwathmey and Gretsinger; Bol- 
j ton and Watt's engine. Now performing very success- 
i fully in the Louisville trade; 120 tons burthen. 
j 16th. The New Orleans— \>^-s\.i at Pittsburg in 1817, 
by Fulton and Livingston; in the Natchez trade. Near 
: Baton Rouge, she was sunk and raised again, and sunk 
I at New Orleans in Feb. 1819, about two months after 
I her sinking near Baton Rouge; 300 tons burthen. 

17th, The George Madison — built at Pittsburg in 
1818, by Messrs. Yoorhies, Mitchell, Rodgers, and Todd, 



132 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



of Frankfort, Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; 200 
tons burthen. 

18th. The Oliio — built at New Albany by Messrs. 
Shreve and Blair; in the Louisville trade; 443 tons bur- 
then. 

19th. The Na^oleon\ built at Shippingport in 1818, 
by Messrs. Shreve, Miller, and Breckenridge, of Lou- 
isville; in the Louisville trade; 332 tons burthen. 

20th. The Tc'Zmwo— built at New Albany, by Messrs, 
John and Kobertson De Hart, in 1808; in the Louisville 
trade; 250 tons burthen. 

21st. The Gen. Jackson — built at Pittsburg in 1818, 
and owned by Messrs. R. Whiting of Pittsburg, and 
Gen. Carroll of Tennessee; in tlie Nashville trade; 200 
tons burthen. 

22d. The Eagle — built at Cincinnati in 1818, owned 
by Messrs. James Berthoud and Son, of Shippingport, 
Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; TO tons burthen. 

23d. The Heda — ^built at Cincinnati in 1818, and 
owned by Messrs. Honoreand Barbaroux, of Louisville, 
Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; TO tons burthen. 

24th. ThQ Henderson — built at Cincinnati in 1818,1 
and owned by Messrs. Bowens, of Henderson, Kentucky; i 
in the Henderson and Louisville trade; 85 tons burthen. 

25th. The Johns 07i—hm\.t at Wheeling in 1818, bv 
George White, and owned by Messrs. J. and R. Johnson, 
of Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; 90 tons burthen, 

26th. The Cincinnati — built at Cincinnati in 1818, 1 
and owned by Messrs. Peniwit and Burns, of Cincinna- 
ti, and Messrs. Paxton and Co. of New Albany; in tlu 
Louisville trade; 120 tons burthen. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 133 



27th. The ExcTiange — ^built at Louisville in 1818, 
and owned bj David L. Ward, of Jefferson county, Ken- 
tucky; in the Louisville trade; 200 tons burthen, 

28th. The Louisiana — ^built at New Orleans in 1818, 
and owned by Mr. Duplissa of New Orleans; in the 
Natchez trade; 45 tons burthen. 

29th. The James Ross — built at Pittsburg in 1818, 
and owned by Messrs. Whiting and Stackpole, of Pitts- 
burg; in the Louisville trade. This boat has lately made 
a trip from New Orleans to Shippingport, in sixteen 
days and a half, having lost sixty one hours and eight 
minutes in discharging cargo on the way. Had on board 
200 tons cargo; 330 tons burthen. 

30th. The Frankfort— \im\i at Pittsburg in 1818, and 
owned by Messrs. Voorhies and Mitchell of Frankfort, 
Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; 320 tons burthen. 

31st. The Tamerlane — built at Pittsburg in 1818, and 
owned by Messrs. Boggs and Co., of New York; in the 
Louisville trade; 320 tons burthen. 

32d. The Cedar Branch — built in 1818, aiid owned 
at Maysville, Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; 2.50 
tons burthen. 

33d. The Experiment — built at Cincinnati in 1818, 
and owned at that place; 40 tons burthen. 

34th The St Louis — built at Shippingport in 1818, 
and owned by Messrs. Hewes, Douglass, Johnson and 
others; in the St. Louis trade; 220 tons burthen. 

35th. The Vesta — built at Cincinnati in 1817, and 
owned by Captain Jenkins of that place; in the Louis- 
ville trade; 100 tons burthen. 

36th. The Riileman — built at Louisville in 1819, and 

7 



134 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



owned by Messrs, Butler and Earners, of Russelville, 
Kentucky; in the Louisville trade; 250 tons burthen. 

37th. The Alabama — a small boat, built on Lake 
Ponchetrane in 1818; in the Eed River trade. 

38th. The Rising States — built at Pittsburg in 1819, 
and owned by W. F. Peterson and Co., of Louisville; 
in the Louisville trade. 

39th. The Oeneral Pike — built at Cincinnati in 1819, 
intended to ply between Louisville, Cincinnati, and Mays- 
ville, as a packet, and owned by a company in Cincinnati. 

40th. The Indejyendence — owned by Captain Nelson, 
and intended to ply between Louisville and St. Louis. 

41st. The United States — ^built at Jeffersonville, In- 
diana, in 1819; owned by Hart and others, and has two 
separate engines, made in England. She is doubtless 
the finest merchant steamboat in the universe, drawing 
but little water, and capable of carrying 3000 bales of 
cotton; in the Louisville trade; 700 tons burthen. 

The interest of this subject and the quantity of mate- 
rial which presses upon us in regard to it have for awhile 
led us to forget the proper order of our history, to which 
it will be necessary now to revert. Commencing then 
with 1811 we have first to record the erection of a 
Catholic Chapel by the Rev. Mr. Badin. This build- 
ing was situated upon a lot given by Mr. Tarascon, near 
the present corner of Eleventh and Main streets. It 
was built in the Gothic style, and was a small edifice. 
The lot upon which it stood was used as the cemetery of 
the church, and many years afterward in digging out 
Eleventh street; skulls, bones, and portions of bodies 
were thrown up from this graveyard. 



HISTORY OF LbUISVILLE. 135 



With the opening of the year 1812, was commenced 
the first Bank ever instituted in Louisville, This was 
the branch of the Bank of Kentucky. Previous to this, 
there was an unincorporated establishment named the 
Louisville Bank, whose capital of about Y5,000 dollars 
was thrown into this Bank, with an addition of 25,000 
dollars, making for the first incorporated Bank a capital 
of 100,000 dollars. This bank was situated on the North 
side of Main street, near the corner of Fifth, and was 
under the direction of Thomas Prather, * President, and 
John Bastard, Cashier. An additional impetus was- also 
given to the commercial prosperity of the town by the 
establishment, during this year, of an iron foundry by 
Mr. Paul Skidmore. The attention of this foundry was 
directed to casting gudgeons for water and horse mills, 
dog and smoothing irons, and odd oven lids. From this 
small beginning arose that branch of industry now so 
large and of so vital importance to the city. A brief 
sketch of the progress of foundries since that time may 
be interesting to the reader. Mr. Skidmore was suc- 
ceeded by Joshua Ileadington, who continued the same 

* This gentlemau was one among the most distinguished of the early citi- 
zens of Louisville. His untiring energy, his inflexible honesty of puqwse, 
and his fine mental ability, all contributed to render him conspicuous in every 
position to which he was called. An excellent epitome of his character is 
contained in a remark made by him upon the occasion of his resignation of 
the Presidency of the Bank referred to. The directory of the Bank having 
determined to stop payment, Mr. Prather resigned his seat with these memo- 
rable words: — "lean preside over no institution whichfailsto meet its engage- 
ments promptly and to the letter." Mr. Prather was long connected in busi- 
ness with Mr. John I. Jacob, whose recent death has been so much deplored; 
and the firm of Prather & Jacob is one of the best and most favorably known 
among the early merchants of this city. 



136 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



description of business with little if any improvement 
until 181T, when he was in his turn succeeded by Pren- 
tiss and Bakewell, who undertook the building of Steam 
engines, getting a part of the machinery from Philadel- 
phia, and a part from Pittsburg, but they did not suc- 
ceed very satisfactorily until 1825, when they built some 
engines for small boats which performed respectably. 
These gentlemen dissolved their connection about 1826, 
Mr. Prentiss continued the business a short time alone, 
and then sold one half of his establishment to Jacob 
Kefler, who was to superintend the foundry. In 1831, 
this foundry ceased operations, and Messrs. D. L. Beatty, 
John Curry, and Jacob Beckwith built a foundry and 
carried on successfully the casting and steam engine bus- 
iness. These gentlemen erected the first air furnace 
which ever proved of any value; built the first regular 
boring-mill, and substituted the blowing cylinder in- 
stead of the common wood and leather bellows. There 
are now six foundries for building steam-engines and 
machinery of all kinds in full operation, beside six ex- 
tensive Stove Foundries. 

The legislature of the State passed an act during this 
year ordering Main street to be paved from cross No. 3 
to cross No, 6, at the expense of the owners of lots 
fronting on said street. While the paving was progress- 
ing agreeably to this order, an honest Scotchman came 
by from the vicinity with a loaded wagon. "What '11 
ye be doin' there?" was his salutation to the superinten- 
dent of the work. "Paving the street',' was the answer. 
"Pavin', do ye say, weel, weel, when it's done, I'll wil- 
linly pay my peart o' it, for I hae had awfu' wark get- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 137 



tin' tliroiigh it a' before." It is not recorded whether 
this honest gentleman was called on for his "peart," but 
it is presumed he was enabled to enjoy these advantages 
gratis. 

It was also about this period that a Methodist church 
was built in this place. This church is the one referred 
to in the communication published a few pages previous. 
It was the second church of any kind ever built in the city, 
and was erected by the subscriptions of all the citizens. 
It was under the direction of the Methodists, but was 
opened to ministers of all denominations. It was situ- 
ated on the ISTorth side of Market street between Seventh 
and Eighth. The house has since been converted into 
a dwelling and is still standing. It was soon found to 
be too small to accommodate the growing population of 
the town and was accordingly sold, and the present 
Fourth street Methodist Church built with the proceeds 
of that sale, assisted by the subscriptions of the citizens. 
This latter building was erected in 1815. 

In 1814 the town of Portland was laid out by Alex- 
ander Ralston, for the proprietor William Lytle. It 
was originally divided into Portland proper, and the en- 
largement of Portland. The lots in Portland proper 
were all half acre lots, and when laid out, were sold for 
two hundred dollars each. In 1819 they had advanced 
to about one thousand dollars. The lots in the enlarge- 
ment were three-fourths of an acre, and were sold at 
three hundred dollars each. This town was not estab- 
lished by law until 1834:, and in 18 37 it was adjoined to 
the city. It has fulfilled the office of a suburb to Lou- 
isville, but has never at any time held prominent impor- 



138 HISTOUY OF LOUISVILLE. 



tance among towns, and is chiefly worthy of notice now 
as a point of landing for the largest class of jNew Or- 
leans boats at seasons when the stage of the river will 
not allow them to yjass over the rapids. Although it 
was at one time predicted that "its future destinies might 
be regarded as those of a highly flourishing and impor- 
tant town," it has never equalled the least sanguine hopes 
of its friends. It has no history of its own worthy of 
relation . 

During the same year the town of ISTew Albany, in 
the State of Indiana, opposite to Portland, was laid out 
by its proprietors, the Messrs. Scribner. Its progress 
at first was slow, but the many advantages which it 
presented (firstly its extremely healthy location, and 
secondly the great quantity and excellent quality of 
ship timber in its vicinity,) soon established its prosper- 
ity. In 1819 it contained a population of about 1000 
souls, and had 150 dwelling houses. A historian of this 
latter period asserts that the inhabitants are all either 
Methodists or Presbyterians. It has now grown to be 
one of the most important towns in Indiana, and still 
promises renewed and increased prosperity. It would 
be hardly fair to class this flourishing city as a suburb 
of Louisville, and yet the two are so intimately connec- 
ted that the prosperity or adversity of the one cannot 
but aflect the other. The value of those relations will 
be shown hereafter. 

Some idea may be formed of the commercial prosperi- 
ty of the town at this period by reference to the follow- 
ing manifest of the Barges and Keel boats, arrived at 
this port during tlie three months, ending July 18th, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 139 

1814. There arrived dnring that period, 13 barges, 
in all 524 tons burthen, and 7 keel boats, in all 132 tons. 
The following is a manifest of cargoes delivered by these 
boats dnring that period. 

813 bales Cottoa, 438 hhds. Sagar, 5 bbls. Molasses. 

26 bbls. and kegs fish, 1267 bbls. Sugar, 128 bbls. Coffee, 

28 cases Wine, 12 Boxes " 339 bags " 

1 bbl. " 1 bbl. Fish Oil, 5 cases Preserves, 

1 bag and 1 bbl. Allspice, 2 bags Pepper, 29 bbls. Indigo, 

6 eeroous Cochineal, 28 bales Wool, 2 ceroons '■ 

1 demij. and 1 bbl. lime juice, 21 " Hides, 6 tons Logwood, 

1 Bale Bear Skins, 453 "• " dry, 18000 lbs. pig cop'r, 

28 boxes Steel, 1 bbl. Rice, 1 box Crockery, 
The probable value of these articles vras estimated at $266,015. 

It was during the same year that Messrs. Jacob and 
Hikes put into successful operation a paper mill at this 
point. The Western Courier was issued on paper man- 
ufactured at this mill. 

A very great barrier to the progress of the town at 
this period consisted in its great unhealthiness. Ow- 
ing to the vast reservoirs of standing w^ater which 
still remained in and about the town, there was a great 
deal of bilious and remittent fever, "often sufficiently 
aggravated to entitle it to the name oi yelloio fever. '''^ 
It will be recollected that reference has been heretofore 
made to this subject. At this period, a new alarm was 
raised, and it was found difficult to get people even to 
bring produce to the markets of the town. Acclimation 
was considered, and indeed was absolutelv necessary. 
The newspapers of the day teem with indignation at the 
course pursued by the neighboring and rival towns in 
circulating aggravated accounts of the progress of dis 
ease here. But even the warmest friends of LouisviHe 



140 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



(lid not pretend to deny that it was extremely unhealthy. 
One of these writing soon after this date, says: "To af- 
firm that Louisville is a healthy place would be absurd, 
but it is much more so than the thousand tongues of fame 
would make us believe; and as many of the causes which 
prevent it from becoming perfectly so, can be removed, 
a few years hence may find the favorable alterations ac- 
complished, and so do away with the general impression of 
its being the grave-yard of the Western country." As 
is well known, this prediction has been verified, and 
from the reputation of a gi-ave-yard, Louisville has now 
everywhere attained the title of the most healthy city in 
America. 

With the commencement of the next year, 1816, we 
are again enabled to give the following very accurate 
tabular view of the political position of the city. The 
following table will clearly show its past growth, and give 
an accurate idea of its size, commerce, and manufactures 
at that time. 

24 Mercliautile Stores, 5 Meiliciue shops, 3 House Painters, 

1 Book do, 8 Boot makers, 4 Chair makers, 

1 Auction and Commission, store, 4 Cabinet makers, 5 Tailors, 

1 Clothing store, 2 Coach do, 5 Hatters, 

1 Leather do, I Gun Smith, 3 Saddlers, 

1 Druggist's do, 1 Silver do, 2 Coppersmiths, 

1 Plan maker, 2 Printing of fices, 1 Steam Saw mill, 

I Carding and Spinning factory, 1 Soap factory, 1 Nail factory, 

1 Tin Shop, 1 Air foundry, 6 Blacksmiths, 

4 Bazars, 4 Bakers, 1 Brewer, 

4 Hope Walks, 2 Tobacco factories, 1 Bagging factory 

4 High Schools, 6 Brick Yards, 1 Stone ware, do, 

1 Theater, 1 Tan Yard. 1 Meth. church, 

2 Taverns, (inferior to none in the Western country, and several others of 
less note. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 141 



The only other event belonging to this year which 
may be considered worthy of note was the arrival on the 
1st of June of the steamboat Enterprize, Captain Shreve, 
only 25 days from New Orleans! This trip then so 
astonishingly speedy is made the subject of remark in 
the newspapers of the day, and Captain Shreve is every 
where congratulated on "the celerity and safety with 
which his boat ascends and descends the currents of these 
mighty waters." These congratulations or at least a 
part of them were received just in time, for in about a 
year afterwards, this same gentleman proved that his nav- 
igation was not always alike safe and speedy. On the 
3d June, 1816, he was in command of the steamer "Wash- 
ington, bound from Pittsburg for Louisville, when she 
met with the first serious disaster which had ever oc- 
curred in the steamboat navigation of the Ohio. "When 
near Wheeling this boat burst her cylinder-head, killing 
seven persons and injuring several others, Capt. Shreve 
among the latter number. This accident elicited a de- 
gree of sympathy and occasioned an amount of alarm, 
which a much more severe steamboat disaster would now 
fail to produce. 

The following announcement from one of the newspa- 
pers of the day, gives an account of the launching of the 
first steamboat ever built at this point; and shows that 
despite of accident and danger, the citizens had fairly 
embarked in a business that has since been so productive 
to the interests of the city. "On Monday the 3d of July, 
was safely launched from her stocks, at the mouth of 
Beargrass into her destined element, the elegant new 
steamboat Gov. Shelby, owned by Messrs. Gray, Gwatli- 



142 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



mey, Gretsinger and Ruble of this town. The Gov. 
Shelby is intended as a regular trader between this place 
and New Orleans, is of 122 tons burden, and is thought 
by judges to be one of the handsomest models, which 
does great credit to her constructors, Messrs. Desmarie 
and McClary." 

It was at this period that the old banking system was 
in the zenith of its power. The whole country was flood- 
ed with paper money of all kinds and of all denomina- 
tions. Specie currency was almost entirely out of cir- 
culation, having been supplanted by private bills, worth- 
less bank notes, and all other kinds of "shin plasters." 
This sort of currency was the occasion of innumerable 
disasters; all confidence was destroyed in the community, 
and pecuniary transactions were of course limited. The 
scarcity of silver was the subject of much merriment as 
well as the cause of grievous distress. At one time a 
specie Spanish dollar is advertised as a curiosity, and 
the citizens are invited to witness an exhibition of it; at 
another, a merchant promises to show, gratis, four silver 
Spanish coins to all who will call and purchase at his store. 
The tradesmen generally, however, took a more serious 
view of the matter; and on the 29th August, 1816, called 
upon the Merchants and Mechanics of the town "to as- 
semble at the Union Hotel on Saturday afternoon at 6 
P. M., to take into consideration the measures necessary 
to be adopted to check the circulation of private bills, 
&c." The result of this meeting, however, never trans- 
pired; and as the shin-plaster currency continued its bale- 
ful operations for many years afterward, it is to be sup- 
^ posed that the Merchants and Mechanics of Louisville 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 143 



either could not concert, or could not execute the afore- 
said "necessary measures." 

Notwithstanding, however, all the disadvantages ac- 
cruing from this state of disordered currency, the year 
did not pass by without adding another to the increasing 
list of manufactories in the town. This other was an 
immense distillery, organized by a company formed in 
New England, and incorporated by the legislature of 
this State. It was called the "Hope Distillery," and 
had a capital of $100,000 dollars, with the liberty of 
increasing it to double that amount. This Company pur- 
chased one hundred acres of ground at the lower end of 
Main street, opposite to the commencement of Portland 
Avenue, and erected immense buildings thereon, intend- 
ing to conduct their business on a more extensive scale 
than any before established in the United States. This 
enormous establishment however did not realize the ex- 
pectations of its proprietors, and the project was aban- 
doned. The buildings remained almost tenantless and 
useless for many years. They were finally burned. 

As if to counterbalance the prospective evil likely to 
be produced by this enormous manufactory of "poison 
for soul and body," there was established about the same 
time the first Presbyterian Church in Louisville. It 
was organized by exactly sixteen members, but it was 
not until the next year that a building was erected for 
them. The acts of the legislature of this year also in- 
corporated a Louisville Library Company. 

The account of the year 1816 will be closed with an 
extract from the travels of Mr. Henry Bradshaw Pearon, 
the title-page of whose book represents him as deputed 



144 inSTOKY OF J-OUISVILLK. 

by thirty-nine English families to ascertain whether any 
or what parts of the United States M^ould be agreeable 
to them as a futm'e residence. His account of the town 
is of course honest, so far as he is concerned, and unprej- 
udiced, and as such is entitled to its share of considera- 
tion. At any rate ho treats the subject more in detail 
than most foreign travelers have done. He says: ''Hav- 
ing been twice in Louisville, I boarded at both hotels; 
Allen's "Washington Hall, and Gwathing's [Gwathmey's] 
Indian Queen. They are similar establishments, and 
both on a very large scale; the former averages 80 board- 
ers per diem; and the latter 140. The hotels are con- 
ducted difierently here from those with which you are 
acquainted. The place for washing is in the open yard, 
where there is a large cistern, several towels, and a negro 
in attendance. The sleeping rooms commonly contain 
from 4 to 8 bedsteads, having matresses upon them, but 
frequently no feather beds, sheets of calico, two blan- 
kets and a quilt, (either a cotton counterpane or a patch- 
work quilt.) The bedsteads have no curtains, and the 
rooms are generally unprovided with any conveniences. 
The public rooms are the news room, boot room, in which 
the bar is situated, and the dining room. The fires are 
generally surrounded by parties of six, who get and keep 
possession of them. The usual custom is to pace up 
and down the bar room as people walk tlie deck at sea. 
Smoking cigars is practised by all without exception, 
and at every hour of the day. Argument is of rare oc- 
currence, and social intercourse seems still more unusual. 
Conversation on general topics, or the taking enlarged 
<)r enlightened views of things rarely occurs; each man 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 145 



is in pursuit of his own individual interest, and follows 
it in an individualized manner. But to return to the 
taverns; at half past seven o'clock the first bell rings for 
collecting the boarders; at eight the second bell rings, 
breakfast is then set, the dining room is unlocked, a gen- 
eral rush commences, and some activity as well as dex- 
terity is essentially necessary to obtain a seat at the table. 
A boy, as clerk, attends to take down the names, in 
order that when the bills are settled no improper deduc- 
tion should be made. The breakfast consists of a profuse 
supply of fish, flesh, and fowl, which is consumed with 
a rapidity truly extraordinary. Often before I had fin- 
ished my first cup of tea, the room, before crowded to 
sufibcation, was empty. The dinner which takes place 
at 2 o'clock, and the supper which is eaten at six is con- 
ducted in the same manner as the breakfast. At table 
there is no conversation and no drinking. The latter is 
efiected by individuals taking their solitary eye-openers, 
toddy, or phlegm dispersers at the bar, the keeper of 
which is in full employ from sunrise till bed-time which 
is always at ten o'clock. Liquor here is never drunk 
neat or with sugar and warm water. 

Speaking of the society of Louisville, the same Mr. 
Henry Bradshaw Fearon takes it upon himself to say: 
"I do not feel myself competent to confirm or to deny 
the general claim of the people of this town to generosi- 
ty and warmth of character. Of their habits I would 
also wish to speak with equal difiidence, [and here is a 
proof of it!] but that they drink a great deal, swear a 
great deal, and gamble a great deal, is very apparent to 
a very brief resident. There is a great lack of amuse- 



146 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ment in Louisville; the only one I saw vs^as called 
'Gander Pulling,' which is thus conducted. Tie a live 
gander to a tree or pole and grease its neck, then ride 
past at full gallop, and he who succeeds in pulling off 
the head of the victim, receives the victory, the reward 
of which is the body of the gander. I think I have 
heard of a similar j>astime as practiced in Holland. 
But these," generously adds Mr. Henry Bradshaw Fea- 
ron, "are not to be taken as unmixed characteristics." 

By dint of great exertions on the part of the inhabi- 
tants of the town, they at last succeeded in procuring the 
location of a branch bank of the United States at this 
point. This bank was opened in 1817 under the aus- 
pices of the following gentlemen: Stephen Ormsby, 
President; Wm. Cochran, Cashier; G. C. Gwathmey, 
Teller; Alfred Thruston, First Bookkeeper; Thomas 
Bullitt, D. L. Ward, Kichard Furguson, M. D., Nor- 
burn, B. Beale, Thomas Prather, John H. Clark, Hen- 
ry Massie, Charles S. Todd, "Wm. S. Yernon, James C. 
Johnson, M. D., John Gwathmey and James D. Breck- 
inridge, Directors. It was situated at the north-east 
corner of Fifth and Main Streets. This bank does not 
however seem to have been more agreeable to the citi- 
zens than were its predecessors. "It is very evident," 
says the first historian of the city, "that the people of 
this country are ruining themselves by banking institu- 
tions as fast as they cleverly can." The history of this 
bank does not present any different features from tliat of 
its sister branches. 

The next important event in this year was the build- 
ing of the Presbyterian Church. This edifice was erec- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 1-17 



ted on the west side of Fourth Street, between Market 
and Jefi'erson, on the north-west corner of the alley ; It 
was a neat, plain, but spacious building. The interior 
was divided into three rows of pews, and was furnished 
with galleries on three sides; the exterior was brick, and 
was adorned with a steeple in which was a belfry and a 
superb bell. Its first pastor was Kev. D. C. Banks, 
This church was destroyed by fire in 1836. All who 
were residents in the city at that time will remember 
this conflagration. The building took fire in the eve- 
ning during a meeting of the church. The efibrts of the 
citizens to preserve it from destruction were energetic 
and continued, but unavailing. When it was found 
that it was no longer possible to save the building, all 
efibrts were directed toward the preservation of the bell. 
This splendid instrument, the first large bell ever in the 
city, was esteemed and venerated to a degree far beyond 
that which is usually felt for inanimate objects; it had a 
hold upon the afiections of all ages, sexes and classes of 
people, as well the inhabitants as those who visited the 
city periodically. It was used to announce all public 
tidings, whether of meetings, fires, or deaths. Its clear 
and silvery notes were heard for miles around, and 
brought joy, or terror, or wo to a thousand hearts ; all 
within the sound of its mighty tongue had learned to 
know and love its voice; and now, that its destruction 
was threatened, a thousand hearts thrilled with fear of 
its loss or throbbed with hope of its salvation. Still the 
devouring element crept on apace, and still, like the 
old sacristan of Saint Nicholas, stood the ringer at his 
post, and still went on the loud clangiiig alarum, of the 



148 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

bell. Soou the pillars which supported the dome of the 
belfry were wrapt in sheets of flame, but the alarm peal 
still rang on as if the imprisoned monster was yet undes- 
pairing, and cried aloud " to the rescue ! " Then the 
falling timbers and flakes of lire drove the ringer from 
his post. For a while the bell still pealed on "in a cla- 
morous appealing to the mercy of the fire, ".till at last 
the wheel on which it hung was wrapped in flames. 
Then came its despair, and as spoke after spoke burnt 
from the wheel, it slowly tolled — tolled its own death- 
knell; heedless it was of the brilliant coruscations of 
flame that fell in showers around it, as the covering of 
the dome broke from its fastenings and shot upward in 
the light and then fell, leaving a train of fire to mark 
its path; heedless of the soaring flames, of the upgazing 
crowd ; thinking only of its approaching dissolution. 
Slowly and solemnly it tolled the funeral knell, and with 
the last stroke of its hammer, and the last dazzling oflf- 
shoot from the dome, tower, bell, and dome all came 
down with a tremendous crash. The crowd had ceased 
to work, had ceased to speak ; all eyes were upon the 
self-ringing bell, and all felt the poetic power and beau- 
ty of the incident. And now that it was fallen, no 
single voice sent up the hurrah, no rude sound desecra- 
ted the moment. The engines again began their com- 
bat, and all went on as before. The bell was tlie next 
day exhumed from its bed and carried away by piece- 
meal to be kept as relics of the incident of its death- 
struggle. 

The second eveiit of this year was the incorporation 
of a hos])ital company which consisted of twelve promi- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 149 



nent citizens, who were authorized to obtain a sum not 
exceeding 1550,000, to be applied to this purpose. Mr. 
Thos. Prather contributed five, and Mr. Cuthbert Bul- 
litt two acres of land as a site for the institution. This 
establishment was supported by a duty of two per cent, 
on auction sales in Louisville. Its interests are fully set 
forth in the wretchedly written preamble of the act in- 
corporating it, which is as follows: 

"Whereas it is represented, that of those engaged in 
navigating the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, many per- 
sons, owing to the fatigue and exposure incident to long 
voyages, become sick and languish at the town of Louis- 
ville, where the commerce in which they are engaged 
sustains a pause, occasioned by the falls of the Ohio 
river; that the charity of the citizens of that town and 
county is no longer able to minister to those poor un- 
fortunate persons, the support and attention which the 
necessities of the latter, and the humanity of the former 
would seem to demand and prescribe; that the growing 
character of Louisville, as a place as well of import as 
of export, and the growing commerce of this State and 
of the western country connected with that place threatens 
to throw an increased mass of sick upon the citizens of 
that town and country, to the comfort and support of 
whom the resources subject to the exactions of chari- 
ty would be unequal, and applied as individual sym- 
pathy might dictate, unavailing; and that it would be 
wise and humane to incorporate an institution at that 
place, for the relief, sustenance, comfort and restoration of 
the poor and the afflicted of the description aforesaid : 
Wherefore, &c." In 1811, the Legislature made a do- 



150 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



nation of $10,000, and in 1822 a similar gift of $7,500 
to this hospital. It is now in the hands of the city, and 
is used as a clinique by the medical schools here. The 
original building yet stands, but has been remodeled 
and improved. 

In this year the small-pox made fearful ravages in the 
town, and, "owing," as Dr. McMurtrie says, "to the 
slothful negligence of the civil authorities, it was impos- 
sible to prevent its innoulating the place for several 
years." 

The last incident which will be mentioned in con- 
nection with this year was a dinner given on the 27th of 
April, 1817, to Capt. H. M. Shreve, as a testimony of 
the consideration in which he was held as a steamboat 
navigator, and particularly with a view to congratulate 
him on the very expeditious voyage he had performed 
from Louisville to New Orleans and back. This voyage 
was made by the steamer Washington, and, as will be 
seen by reference to the list of steamboats published in the 
earlier part of this volume, was performed in the very 
brief period oi forty-five days! Capt. De Hart was 
also invited to partake of this dinner, the committee as- 
suring him of their highest respect, and that they would 
have been early to make him public testimonials of this 
respect but for fear that it w^ould be construed into a 
countenance of the course the concern to which he was 
attached, has been, and is pursuing. Reference is here 
had to the Fulton and Livingston Company, who were 
still seeking to monopolize the navigation of the western 
rivers. Mr. Norborn B. Beale was President, and Maj. 
C. P. Luckott Yice President, on tliis occasion. The 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 151 

Committee of Invitation consisted of J. Headington, 
Levi Tyler and Jas. A. Pearce. Toasts were drnnk to 
several of the Presidents, to the 19 United States, to the 
Ohio and Mississippi, to the State of Louisiana, to New 
York, to Fulton, Shreve, De Hart and others. The fol- 
lowing toast shows that Louisville had yet some fears of 
the rivalry of her neighbors: 12th. ''''Our Sister-tovms 
of Lexington and Franhfort — let us have equal priv- 
ileges in a fair competition, that local advantages and 
individual enterprise may insure pre-eminence." It is 
said that at this dinner, Mr. Shreve predicted that a trip 
from New Orleans to Louisville would be effected in ten 
or twelve days, but this was looked upon rather as the 
dream of an enthusiast than as the sober calculations of 
a sagacious man. Mr. Shreve, however, and many of 
his hosts lived to see the prediction more than fulfilled. 
The earliest event in the next year which deserves 
notice here, was the death of General George Eogers 
Clarke. The remains of this distinguished man, who 
was so intimately connected with the earlier history of 
Louisville, were interred at his residence at Locust Grove 
on the 15th February, 1818. The members of the bar 
and a large assemblage of persons attended. Rev. Mr. 
Banks officiated on the occasion, and John Rowan, Esq., 
delivered the funeral oration. Minute guns were fired 
during the ceremony under the direction of Capt. Minor 
Sturgns, and the whole procession was conducted in a 
very solemn manner. The members of the bar of the 
Circuit Court, and the/ew remaining officers of the revo- 
lution in the neighborhood and resolved, to wear crape on 
the left arm for thirty days, as a testimony of respect to 



152 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



the deceased hero. The spot where his remains now 
rest is yet unmarked by a stone. 

"We are enabled to j)resent the reader with a price cur- 
rent published during this year. No document could 
be offered which would give a more definite idea of the 
state of commerce at this period. It is as follows : 

Bagging— 30c- Whisky— 62(a)75c. Corn— 42@G2. 

Cotton— 33fS 35c. Glass— 8x10, $14@15. Molasses— $1 50- 
Wheat— 60075c. White Lead— $6. Tobacco— $4 75@5. 

Coffee- -35@37c. No demand— scarce. Sugar — I6@18c. 

Teas— S.2 25@2 50. Oats— 42@50c. 

FREIGHTS. 
Tobacco, Ic ^ fi). Flonr, $1 50 ^ bbl. Pork and Whisky, $2 f bbl. 
Liglit Freight, 6c ^ fe. Heavy Freight, 4i^c ^ &. 

By the assessment of this year the value of lots in the 
town is computed at $3,131,463. 

About the 24th of November, Louisville boasted an- 
other Bank. This was the Commercial Bank of Louis- 
ville. Its officers were: Levi Tyler, President ; Abijah 
Bayless, Cashier; J. C. Blair, Clerk. Its paper is said 
by Dr. McMurtrie, to have been in as good credit as 
that of the United States Bank. Its capital is computed 
by him at $1,000,000. More recent accounts however, 
do not speak so favorably of its affairs. 

On the 1st of July, still of this year, Mr. S. Penn 
commenced the publication of the Public Advertiser 
here; a paper which for editorial talent and skill, as well 
as for political influence, has been equalled by few and 
exceeded by none in the United States. 

In 1819, Dr. McMurtrie, of whom mention has been 
so often made in these pages, publislied his Sketches of 
Louisville. That part of his book which refers directly 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 153 



to the city is comprised in about one hundred pages. 
The whole book however contains about two hundred 
and fiftj pages, 16mo; it was published by Mr. S. Penn, 
and is a very creditable specimen of the art of book- 
making. The greater part of the volume is filled with 
scientific researches, and in an appendix there is placed 
an account of the earthquakes by Jared Brooks, Esq. 
There is also a scientific catalogue of the plants found 
in the vicinity of the city, and a history of the geological 
and antiquarian remains of tliis part of the country. 
Of the value of this information in a scientific point of 
view, we are not prepared to speak; the "Sketches" pre- 
sent, doubtless a very correct view of Louisville, as it 
was in 1819. Notwithstanding this book has been so 
often drawn upon for isolated facts in the course of this 
history, it will not be considered unfair to ofier the 
reader still another extract, showing a sort of daguerreo- 
type view of the city as it then was; and this will be the 
more'pardonable as the book itself is no longer "in print," 
Dr. McMurtrie says: "There are at this time in Louis- 
ville six hundred and seventy dwelling houses, princi- 
pally brick ones,^some of which would suffer little by 
being compared with any of the most elegant private 
edifices of Philadelphia or New York. It was calculat- 
ed pretty generally that from two hundred and fifty to 
three hundred brick buildings would have been erected 
during the last summer, but such was the scarcity of 
money, that not more than twelve to fourteen were com- 
pleted; preparations, however, are making to proceed 
rapidly in the business in the ensuing season, the influx 
of strangers being so great, that many of them can 



154 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



scarcely find shelter. The population now amounts to 
4500 souls; so rapid is the increase of this number that 
in all probability, it will be trebled in less than ten years. 
"Commercial cities of all newly settled countries, 
whose inhabitants are gathered from every corner of the 
earth, who have immigrated thither with but one single 
object in view, that of acquiring money, are stamped 
with no general character, except that of frugality, at- 
tention to business, and an inordinate attachment to 
money. Absorbed in this great interest of adding dol- 
lar upon dollar, no time is devoted to literature or the 
acquirement of those graceful nothings which, of no val- 
ue in themselves, still constitute one great charm of pol- 
ished society. Such is the character of the inhabitants 
of this place in general, 'ma ogni medaglio ha il suo 
re verso.' There is a circle, small 'tis true, but within 
whose magic round abounds every pleasure that wealth, 
regulated by taste, or urbanity can- bestow. There the 
'red heel' of Yersailles may imagine himself in the em- 
porium of fashion, and whilst leading beauty through 
the mazes of the dance, forget that he is in the wilds of 
America, The theater, public and private balls, a sober 
game of whist, or the more scientific one of billiards, 
with an occasional re-union of friends around the festive 
board, constitute the principal amusements; and it is 
with pleasure I am able to assert, without fear of con- 
tradiction, that gaming forms no part of them. What- 
ever may have been the case formerly^ there is hardly 
at the present day, a vestige to be seen of this ridiculous 
and disgraceful practice; and if it exists at all, it is only 
to be found in the secret dens of midnight swindlej-s, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 155 



within whose walls once to enter is dishonor, infamy, 
and ruin." 

The prices of lots at this time were about $300 per 
foot for those occupying the best situations. 

The following list if compared with the similar one 
for 1815, published a few pages earlier, will give the 
reader a very correct idea of the ratio of progress here 
for four years. There were at tliis time in Louisville: 

3 Banks, 36 Wholesale & Retail Stores, 14 Wholesale & Com'n Stores, 

3 Bookstores, 3 Printing Offices, 3 Drugstores, 

1 Nail Factory, 28 Groceries, 2 Confectioner's Shops, 

2 Hotels, 4 good Taverns, 6 Bakehouses, 

10 Blacksmiths, 6 Saddlers, 2 Carriagemakers, 

8 Tailors, 1 Silver Plater, 1 Gunsmith. 

3 Watchmakers.lO Cabinetmakers, 3 Chair Factories, 

1 Stone Cutter, 1 Upholsterer, 1 Potter, 

4 Turners, 5 Hatters 200 Carpenters, 
30 Plasterers, 6 Shoemakers, 150 Bricklaj'ers, 
12 Lawyers, 22 Physicians, 1 Brass Foundry, 

6 Brickyards, 1 Air Foundry, 1 Steam Engine Factory, 

2 Breweries, 2 Steam Saw Mills, 2 Distilleries, 

1 Music store. 5 Tobacco Factories. 1 Sugar Refinery. 

We find by an advertisement in the Courier of Feb- 
ruary 12th, in this year, that J. J. Audubon, the world- 
renowned ornithologist, was at that time endeavoring 
to procure a class in drawing, and was offering to paint 
portraits here, which his advertisement promises shall 
be " strong likenesses." This gentleman was for some 
time a resident of this city. His son was for many years 
employed as a clerk in the store of Mr. N. Berthoud at 
Shippingport. 

On the 23d of June, 1819, the President of the Uni- 
ted States and suite, accompanied by Gen. Jackson and 



156 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE, 



suite, arrived in Louisville, where they remained until 
the following Saturday. A public dinner and a ball was 
given to these distinguished persons, and general hilar- 
ity and good feeling distinguished the occasion. 

This chapter, as well as the history of this year will 
be concluded with a string of rhymes which, though not 
highly meritorious in themselves, still serve to show the 
feelings of the people in regard to the much-talked-of 
apathy of their rulers, and let us into the history of the 
times as fully as would the graver chroniclers. These 
versicles are said to be extracts from a letter. 

"You know I informed you when 1 landed here, 
Tlii." town was not handsome, and living darned dear, 
The streets were all ponds, ?ind I 'm told the Trustees 
Had sooner wade thro' them, quite up to the knees, 
Than incur the expense to have them drained off. 
Complain to their honors, they sneer, laugh or scoff, 
And say, we 've no money; and you very well know, 
Without this intercessor the mare will not go. 



'Tis whispered about, how true I shan't say. 

The people 's oft taxed, and always made pay; 

And who handles the cash? the Lord only knows, 

Or what road it travels — for what, it all goes — 

Is a mystery to ail; no improvements they see, 

'Tis sarcastically said, there never will be. 

If tlie great men of fortune don't aid or direct 

The improvement of town, it will ne'er take effect. 

Alas, these poor souls, if they secure their own health, 

Let us wallow in mud, while they 're rolling in wealth! 

Could you see ihcsQ great folks, I protest you would laugh. 

And swear on each body stuck the head of a calf. 

I 'd say you were right — with hearts hard as a stone ; 

When applied to for alms or asked for a loan. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 157 

Before I left home, one Dight at aunt Kate's 

A confab we had concerning new States, 

I then said what since to my sorrow proved true. 

When settled in old States never emigrate to new. 

You called me false prophet, said to Louisville hie. 

Which for beauty and commerce would with Boston soon vie, 

And moreover you said a gr<:at man I could be. 

If I 'd take for my text: boys, huzza, we 're all free. 

Dear sir, how you erred, Kentucky 's quite changed; 

If you say here, we 're free, folks vow you deranged. 

For our keen wealthy Yankees located here. 

Rule the natives by art, it cannot be fear; 

For I 've seen them so rave, curse and swear so uucivi!; 

'Tvvould shake 'stead// Jiabits' quite as much as the d 1 . 

*********** 

Now you '11 own without money man here has less chaucf 
Than Don QuLxotc in combat, deprived of his lance. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The next ten years of this history do not promise to 
be as rich in incident for the historian, or as full of prac- 
tical value to the city, as were the few years just chroni- 
cled. A number of causes were operating at this time 
to retard the prosperity of the town, and but for the 
vigor with which it was endued, it must have sunk 
under the misfortunes which surrounded it. Evil reports, 
prejudicial to its health; garbled accounts from rival cities 
of the mortality here; a lamentably disordered state of 
currency, a Board of Trustees whose inefficiency was 
constantly complained of, were all opposing the growth 
of the town; and had it not, as has been before said, in- 
herently possessed the elements of its own progress, it 
must have faded, and might have been entirely destroyed 
by the pressure of these untoward circumstances. For 
about two years the western country had been laboring 
under the operations of shaving and brokerage; there 
was not at this time a single bank west of the mountains 
whose paper could be passed at a fair value, except in 
the immediate neighborhood of the bank itself, and there 
were not more than three or four that pretended to pay 
their notes in money. The paper of the Bank of Ken- 
tucky was at a discount, and there was no hope of it.- 
improving. Tennessee and Ohio were in a similar, if 
not a worse condition. The paper of the United States 
Bank was alone merchantable at its value, and npoi. 



HI8TOEY OV LOUIS VILLI*;. 15 'J 



Louisville, as the great commercial mart of the western 
country, must these circumstances weigh most heavily. 
Despite all these disadvantages, however, the town did 
progress, not so rapidly as its past course would have 
promised, but with a rational and steady improvement. 
One of the drawbacks mentioned above was beo-inning 
to be removed. The new Trustees of the town began 
to prosecute their measures of improvement with some 
degree of energy. "Wells were dug; pavements laid; 
streets graded; ponds drained; and a general activity 
prevailed which showed some attention toward making 
the town more desirable as a residence, both in point of 
comfort and of health. The removal of the causes of 
disease, however, could not be instantaneous, and even 
if they had been it would have required time to convince 
those disposed to emigrate hither of the fact. 

The first act of the Trustees in the year 1820 was to 
order the purchase of two or three fire-engines. Con- 
flagrations had recently become of not uncommon occur- 
rence, and the means for combating them were so few 
in number, and so incompetent in character, that this 
measure had become entirely necessary to the safety of 
the town . Accordingly, Thomas Prather, Cuthbert Bul- 
litt and Peter B. Orsmby were appointed a committee 
to purchase suitable fire-engines for the use of the city. 
This being done, the town was laid off into three wards, 
a]id Coleman Daniel, Daniel McAllister and Peter Wol- 
lord were appointed, one to each ward, to obtain each 
40 members to work these engines. These members 
were to elect each a Captain of the engine and such 
other oflicers as might be necessary, and to adopt rules 



1^0 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



for their own government. Public cisterns, or other like 
conveniences for the use of firemen, were then unknown. 
Each citizen was required to keep two or more leather 
fire-buckets on his premises, while a larger number of 
the same were kept at the engine houses. These were 
taken to the fire, and two lines of men firmed from the 
engine, which was stationed near the fire, to the nearest 
water. One of these lines was occupied in passing buck- 
ets filled with water, which, wdicn they arrived at the 
engine, were poured into it; and the otlier in passing 
back the empty buckets to be refilled. It was by this 
tedious process alone that they were enal>led successfully 
to combat a fire. 

Although tables of various sorts, showing the progres- 
sive increase of the town, have been from time laid be- 
fore the reader, yet the events of thirteen years have 
been passed over without offering to his inspection that 
most conclusive of documentary evidence, the tax list. 
It may be remembered that the assessment of 1807 
amounted to $913 50. The following list for 1821 will 
give a clear idea of the increased value of property since 
that time. 

VALUATION OF GROUND AND IMPROVEMENTS, $1,189.6G4 00. 

Assessed Taxes on same $4, 637 68 

On 14 1st rate Retail Stores at $'M) 420 00 

24 2d '■■ " " $9.0 540 00 

7.Sd '« " •■ $10 70 00 

26 Tavern Licenses $10 260 00 

70 Carriage Wheels 50i' 35 00 

2 Billiard Tables $17 .S4 00 

Total $5 996 68 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 161 

The following is a census of the population, taken at 
this period:* 

Free white males to 10 years of age 346 

10 to 16 , 152 

" 16 to 26 498 

26 to 45 707 

" " 45 and upwards 121 

1324 

Free white females to 10 years of age; 356 

" 10 to 16 132 

16 to 26 , 273 

26 to 45 ,", 232 

" " 45 and upwards - 69 

1062 

Total White Population 1886 

Blacks, including free persons of color 1126 

Total .4012 

Of whom there are engaged in Commerce 128 

" " '•' Manufactures 591 

Foreigners 94 

On the 3d of March in this year Mr. Nicholas Clarke 
associated with him, in the publication of the Western 
Courier, Messrs. S. H. Bullen and A. G. Merriweather. 
After this period the name of the paper was changed to 
The Emporium and Commercial Advertiser, and it was 
issued semi-weekly instead of weekly. This connection, 
however, w^as not of long duration, for in February '22, 
Messrs. Clarke & Merriweather left the establishment, 
transferring their interest to Mr. Bullen and Mr. F. E. 
Goddard. The paper finally came into the hands of this 
latter gentleman alone, and its publication was stopped 
while under his management. Mr. Goddard will be 

*This census does not include the i-esidents in Preston's orCamphell's en- 
largements, nor does it refer either to Portland or Shippingport. 



162 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



remembered by most of the citizens of Louisville. He 
was the preceptor of a great many of the younger men 
now here, and was universally beloved and respected. 
His genial humor, his extraordinary scholarship and his 
fine qualities of heart made him the admiration of his 
friends, while his faithful discharge of all his duties and 
his firm and un waving efforts to improve the minds and 
morals of his numerous pupils, cause them to respect 
his memory, and call forth alike their gratitude and their 
veneration. No man has ever occupied Mr. Goddard's 
position who enjoyed more universally or more merited- 
ly the regard of his fellow citizens. 

In May, still of tins year, a branch bank of the Com- 
monwealth was located here. From an article in the 
Emporium it would seem that this bank was established 
without one dollar of specie capital and hence its notes 
were sold at very large rates of discount. The paper of 
this bank and that of the Bank of Kentucky formed almost 
the only currency at the time, and as merchants, in or- 
der to pay their calls abroad, were obliged to buy specie 
or Eastern funds at a great advance, they naturally 
enough refused these bills at par value. This seems to 
have been a grievous trouble to the management of the 
bank at Frankfort, and it was suggested by them that 
the Legislature should remove the branch established 
here to "some other situation where love of country, 
love of truth and love of general prosperity might over- 
come the combinations of the weak and wicked." This 
removal, however, was not effected. 

It was also during this year that a night watch was 
established, who were paid by a subscription of the cit- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. lC)o 



izens and not Irom tha treasury of the town. B. Mor- 
gan, C. Sly and M. TVoolston were the first persons 
elected to this office. 

18::^2 — ^The first event- of the next year was the au- 
thorization by the Trustees of the issue of to\^n notes, 
varying in denomination from twelve and a half cents 
to one dollar, the aggregate value of all of which was 
not to exceed four thousand dollars. These notes, how- 
ever, did not meet with the usual fate of the shinplaster 
currency, for in about a year afterward we find an order 
of the Trustees for counting and destroying them, leav- 
ing the impression either that they were not put into 
circulation or were redeemed and so withdraw^n from a 
market already glutted with such trash. 

It was during the year 1822 that the town w^as visited 
by a dreadful epidemic. Dr. John P, Harrison, late of 
Cincinnati and formerly of this city, a physician of dis- 
tinguished ability, has published a minute and highly 
valuable account of this epidemic in the Philadelphia 
Medical Journal, Vol. 8. The disease w^as a highly 
aggravated bilious fever, so terrible as to deserve the 
dreaded name of yellow fever. The mortality was very 
great and the alarm existing on account of it throughout 
the whole interior of the neighboring States was of the 
most exciting character. The season was an unhealthy 
one throughout the West, but the scourge fell most 
heavily upon Louisville, probably on account of the 
miasma from her many ponds. The scourge here, as 
Dr. Drake says in his valuable h'story of the diseases of 
the Yalley of ISTorth America, amounted almost to de- 
population. The Trustees were by it awakened from 



164 HISTORY OF LOUISYIIJ.E. 



their lethargy. A Board of Health, consisting of Drs. 
Gait, Smith, Harrison, Wilson and Tompkins, were 
appointed to examine into the causes of disease and re- 
port the same to the Trustees, together with the mode or 
practicability of removing the same. This first Board 
of Health was appointed too late. Had they been or- 
dered to examine into this matter years before, much 
might have been efi'ected, but the time for such action 
was now passed, an(i this fearful malady, now inevita- 
ble, became the most terrible blow ever given to the 
prosperity of the rising town. The news spread far 
and wide, and the neighboring towns, instead of seek- 
ing to publish only the truth, assisted largely in circu- 
lating garbled intelligence and extravagant reports of a 
fact which tended to their advantage by destroying the 
fair fame of their rival. Emigrants from abroad as well 
as from this and neighboring States, for years afterward, 
dreaded even to pass through the town, and of those 
who had already determined to locate here, many were 
dissuaded from their purpose b}^ the assertion that it was 
but rushing upon death to make the attempt. This oc- 
curred, too, just at a period when the resources of the 
town, beginning to develop themselves, were attracting 
the attention of capitalists. It was this alone which 
gave a temporary semblance of superiority to the neigh- 
boring towns, and, for a time, retarded the usual pros- 
perity of this. Had the feeling of alarm ceased with 
the disease, it would have been less of a blow, but for 
years after it was referred to as a warning against emi- 
gration hither. 

The ]iext two years present nothing of interest to the 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 161 



reader, save the building iu the winter of 1824-5 of an 
Episcopalian Church on Second Street, between Green 
and Walnut, the present Christ's Church, the first rector 
of which was the Rev. Mr. Shaw. 

On the 8th of May, in the year 1825, Lafayette visited 
Louisville. His reception here, as everywhere else, 
was enthusiastic in the extreme. The Trustees of the 
city paid into the hands of John Kowan, the chairman 
of the committee of arrangements for tjie reception, a 
considerable sum of money, to be expended in such 
manner as the committee might direct- for this purpose. 
The resolution authorizing this expenditure was passed 
with a single dissenting voice, that of Ricliard Hall. 
The meeting of Lafayette with some of the old officers 
of tlie revolution, particularly that with Col. Anderson, 
is said to have been extremely affecting. The whole 
j city turned out to receive this distinguished patriot; pro- 
cessions were formed, arches erected, bevies of young 
' girls strewed his pathway with flowers and the whole 
I town was a scene of festivity and rejoicing. "Whether 
the dissenting Mr. Richard Hall was with those who were 
[ thus showing their sense of gratitude to him who had 
I left home, country and friends, and laced the thundering 
cannon's mouth to aid them in their hour of direst peril, 
history docs not tell us. 
j The Legislature of these years made very considerable 
; additions to the power of the Trustees ; allowing tliem 
ioi borrow money on the credit of the town, to purchase 
and hold real estate for erecting market-houses, wharfs, 
&c,, to levy a tax on exchange brokers, to tax hacks, 
! drays, &c., to a[»point harbor ami wharf masters, and 



106 HISTORY OV LOUISVILLE. 



make rnles governing the lading and unlading of vessels, ' 
to collect wharfage fees, to appoint inspectors of flour, 
&c. The first use made of this new x^ower was the 
purchase of ground for a wharf. Kowan owned a s'ip 
of ground lying north of Water Street, commencing at 
Second and terminating at Seventh Street. A simi- 
lar slip, lying between Seventh and Eighth streets, 
was already the property of the city^ This slip the city 
agreed to add to Rowan's, and also to pave the whole 
as a wharf, using tlie stone in RoM'an's quarry, situated 
on tlie premises, and for the wharf so constructed they 
agreed to give to llowan and to his heirs forever^ in 
semi-annual payments, one-half the receipts of this wharf. 
They also agi*eed that, if at any time Gray's wharf, 
lying east of Second Street, should be bought, both par- 
ties might unite in the purchase and Rowan should re- 
ceive as before one half the profits of the entire wharf. 
This contract; made with but a single dissenting voice 
on the part of the Trustees, that of Jeremiah Diller, must 
have been the result of either a very low state of finances 
or of very injudicious precipitation. Rowan's heirs, it 
is understood, now get but one fourth of the wharfage, 
but even this would have been a sum better gained to 
the city than lost by a want of proper judgment or 
foresight. 

On the 12th of January, in this year, the Louisville 
& Portland Canal Company was incorporated by an act 
of the Legislature, with a capital of $000,000, in shares 
of $100 each, with perpetual succession. 3G(35 of these 
shares wore in the hands of about 70 individuals, resi- 
(jing in diii'cront States, and the remaining 2335 shares 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 167 

belonged to the government of the United States. In 
December contracts were entered into to complete the 
vs^ork of the canal within two years for about $375,000, 
and the work was actually commenced in March 1S2G. 
Many unforeseen difficulties retarded it until the close 
of the year 1828. At this time the contractors failed, 
new contracts were made at advanced prices, and the 
canal was finally opened for navigation, December 5th, 
1830. When completed, it cost about $750,000. It is 
about two miles in length and is intended to overcome 
a fall of twenty-four feet, occasioned by an irregular ledge 
of lime-stone rock, through which the entire bed of the 
canal is excavated, a part to the depth of 12 feet, over- 
laid with earth. There is one guard and three lift locks 
combined, all of which have their foundation on the 
rock. One bridge of stone 240 feet long, with an eleva- 
tion of 68 feet to the top of the parapet wall, and three 
arches, the centre one of which is semi-elliptical, with 
a transverse diameter of G6, and a semi-conjugate 
diameter of 22 feet. The two arches are segments 
of 40 feet span. The guard lock is 190 feet long in the 
clear, with semi-circular heads of 26 feet in diameter, 
50 feet wide and 42 feet high, and contains 21,775 
perches of mason work. The solid contents of this lock 
are equal to 15 common locks, such as are built on the 
Ohio and New York canals. The lift locks are of the 
same width with the guard lock, 20 feet high and 183 
feet long in the clear, and contain 12,300 perches of 
mason work. The entire length of the walls from the 
head of the guard lock to the end of the outlet lock is 
921 feet. In addition to the amount of mason work 



168 HISTOllY OF LOUISVILLE, 

above, there arc three culverts to drahi ofl' the watei 
from the adjacent hinds, the mason work of which, when 
added to the locks and bridge, gives the whole amount 
of mason work 41,989 perches, equal to about 30 com- 
mon canal locks. The cross section of the canal is 200 
feet at top of banks, 50 feet at bottom and 42 feet high, 
having a capacity equal to that of 25 common canals; 
and if we keep in view the unequal quantity of mason 
work, compared to the length of the canal, the great 
difficulties of excavating earth and rock from so great a 
depth and width, together with the contingencies at- 
tending its construction from the fluctuations of the Ohio 
river, it may not be considered as extravagant in draw- 
ing the comparison between the work in this, and in 
that of 70 or T5 miles of common canaling." 

In the upper sections of the canal, the alluvial earth 
to the average depth of 20 feet being removed, trunks 
of trees were found, more or less decayed, and so im- 
bedded as to indicate a powerful current towards the 
present shore, some of which were cedar, which is not 
now found in this region. Seyevsil Jire-places of a rude 
construction, with partially burnt wood, were discovered 
near the rock, as well as the bones of a variety of small 
animals, and several human skeletons ; rude implements 
formed of bone and stone were also frequently seen, as 
also several well wrought specimens of hematite of iron, 
in the shape of plummets or sinkers displaying a knowl- 
edge in tlie arts far in advance of the present race of 
Indians. 

Tlic first stratum of rock was light, friable slate in 
close contact with the limestone, and difficult to disen- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 169 



gage Iroin it; this slate did not however extend over the 
whole surface of the rock, and was of various thick- 
nesses from three inches to four feet. 

The stratum next to the slate was a close compact 
lime stone, in which petrified sea shells, and an infinite 
variety of coraline formations were embedded, and fre- 
(^uent cavities of crystaline encrustations were seen, 
many of which still contained petroleum of a highly 
fetid smell, which gives the name of this description of 
lime stone. This description of rock is on an average 
of five feet, covering a substratum of- a species of cias 
limestone of a bluish color, embedding nodules of horn 
stone, and organic remains. The fracture of this stone 
has in all instances been found to be irregularly coii- 
choidal, and on exposure to the atmosphere and subjec- 
tion to fire it crumbled to pieces. When burnt and 
ground, and mixed with a due proportion of silicious 
sand, it has been found to make a most superior kind of 
hydraulic cement or water lime. 

The discovery of this valuable lime stone, has enabled 
the canal company to construct their masonry more sol- 
idly than any other known in the United States. 

A manufactory of this hydraulic cement or water 
lime is now established on the bank of the canal, on a 
scale capable of supplying the United States with this 
much valued material for all works in contact with 
water or exposed to moisture; the nature of this cement 
being to harden in the water, the grout used on the 
locks of the canal is already harder than the sto7iG used 
in their construction. 

x\fter passing through the stratum which was com- 



170 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



monly called the water lime, about ten feet in thickness, 
the workmen came to a more compact mass of primitive 
grey limestone, which however was not penetrated to 
any great depth. In many parts of the excavation, 
masses of bluish white flint and horn stone were found 
enclosed in, or encrusting the fetid limestone. And 
from the large quantities of arrow licads and other rude 
formations of this flint stone, it is evident that it was 
made much use of by the Indians in forming their 
weapons of war and hunting; in one place a magazine 
of arrow heads was discovered, containing many hun- 
dreds of those rude implements, carefully packed togeth- 
er, and buried below the surface of the ground. 

The existence of iron ore in considerable quantities 
was exhibited in the progress of excavation of the canal 
by numerous highly charged chalybeate springs, that 
gushed out and continued to flow during the time that 
the rock was exposed, chiefly in the upper strata of 
limestone.* The canal when built was intended for the 
largest class of boats, but the facilities for navigation have 
so far improved and the size of vessels increased so far 
beyond the expectations of the projectors of this enter- 
prise that it is now found much too small to answer the 
demands of navigation. The consequence is that the 
canal is looked upon as, equally with the falls, a barrier 
to navigation. The larger lower-river boats refuse to 
sign bills of lading, compelling them to deliver their 
goods above the falls, and as this class of boats is increas- 
ing, it promises soon to be as diflicult to pass this point 
as before this immense work was completed. As pre- 

* This is extiacted irona Mr Mauin Bailer's account of the Canal. 



llIbTUKV OF LOUISVILLE. 171 



vious to the iinck'rtaking of tliis canal, so there are now 
numerous plans proposed for overcoming the impedi- 
ment; and these do not difier materially from those sug- 
gested and noticed in 1804. The only ground upon 
which all parties agree is, that whatever is done should 
be elfected by the general government, and not left to 
be completed by individual enterprise. 

The government, as has before been said, owns a very 
large part of the stock in this canal, say three-fifths, and 
it is strongly urged by a part of the community that 
nothing would better serve the interests of western nav- 
igation than a movement on the part of the United 
States, making it free. The question of internal im- 
provement is not within the province of this history to 
discuss, but certainly a deaf ear should not be turned by 
the general government to the united voice of so many 
of its children, all alike demanding to be relieved from 
their embarrassments, and the more particularly so, as 
it has already heard and answered the supplications of a 
part of its numerous family. Any semblance of favor- 
itism in a government is a sure means of alienating the 
trust and aifection of a part of its dependants. What- 
ever means may be most advisable to effect the removal 
of the impediment to navigation here should at once be 
adopted. And if the opening of the canal freely to all 
could tend to eifect this object, the government has al- 
ready had from it revenue sufficient to warrant it in tak- 
ing off the tax from navigation. Up to the year 1843, 
there had passed through this canal, 13,776 steamboats, 
and 4701 flats and keels, making in all 2,425,507 tons, 
the tolls of which amounted to $1,227,025 50. It 



would imt 1)0 au uiitliir calculation to rate the expenses 
of keeping up the canal at $30,000 per annum, or $390,- 
000 for the thirteen years above referred to. Supposing 
the government to possess three-fifths of this profit, it 
would amount to $502,575, or nearly enough to build 
a new canal. It is not to be wondered at, then, that 
western people should feel disposed to niurmm- at hav- 
ing these large sums of money taken from their waters 
and applied to improving the Balize or Sandy Hook, or 
any other distant part of tlie Union. And the matter is 
the more grievous when it is remembered that these tolls 
are not only not I'ree but are enormously and disproj)or- 
tionately high. Whether laden or not, each boat is 
obliged to pay at the rate of 50 cts per ton, in proporti-m 
to her capacity, as a toll! The v>'hole subject is one de- 
serving immediate and earnest attention, as involving 
interests in which not only Louisville, but the whole 
South and West is intimately concerned. 
y^ With the next year — 1826 — we come to the establish- 
ment of another newspaper here. This was called the 
Focus, and was edited by Dr. Buchanan, assisted by 
Mr. W. W. Worsley, and published weekly by Morton 
& Co. It contained a very large amount of reading 
matter on literary, scientific, political and commercial 
subjects. It was violently an ti- Jackson in politics, but 
still found rooui in its colunms for an unusual quantity 
of interesting literary matter. It was conducted with 
great ability by these gentlemen for a period of about 
three years, when, after the death of Dr. Buchanan, it 
was sold to Messrs. J. T. Gavins and G. S. K.ol)inson, 
Jt was afterwards merged into the Louisville Journal, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 173 



and placed, under the name of the Journal and Focns, in 
the hands of Mr. Geo, D. Prentice, as editor. This 
was in the 3^ear 1832, Since that time its history is too 
well known wherever the knowledge of American news- 
papers has penetrated to need any farthur notice here. 
It has been the lot of the gentleman who is at the hea4__ 
of it, and who is distinguished alike as a poet and a 
politician, as a wit and a sage, to wield an influence 
such as few men in any station have ever exercised ; an 
influence which is not only political but also literary and 
social, and which has been exerted alike at the birth of 
a true poet and at the death of a false patriot or a foolish 
politician. ' 

By the census of the next year — 1827 — we find the 
population of Louisville to have reached T063, showing 
an increase of nearly double since 1821, The attention 
of the people began now to be turned toward effecting 
an incorporation of the town and placing themselves in 
a condition for self-government, and accordingly on the 
3d of November, of this year, a very large meeting of the 
citizens was held at the court house for this purpose, Levi 
Tyler having been appointed chairman and Garnett Dun- 
can secretary, the following resolutions were adopted : 

1st. Resolved, That public convenience renders it im- 
portant that we ask for the passage of an act incorpora- 
ting Louisville with its enlargements, and giving a city 
court for the speedy punishment of crimes and the speedy 
trial of civil suits. 

2d. Resolved, That a committee of five citizens be 
appointed to draft an act of incorporation and to submit 
the same at an adjournment of this meeting. 



174 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



3d. Ecsolvcd, That a committee of three be appoint- 
ed to confer with the inhabitants of Shipping-port and 
I'orthmd, and the enlargements of Louisville, and to 
request them to unite with us in this subject. 

4th. Resolved, That we esteem the erection of a per- 
manent bridge across the Ohio river, at the most con- 
venient point across the Falls, of the greatest utility to 
the public, and calculated to enhance the commerce and 
prosperity of our town, and that we respectfully solicit 
the legislature of this State to incorporate a company 
with competent powers and capital to effect the erection 
of such a bridge, and that the city of Louisville, when 
incorporated, should be authorised to raise funds, by 

loan or otherwise, and to subscribe for dollars of 

stock in said company. 

5th. Resolved, That a committee of seven be appoint- 
ed to draft a charter for that purpose, and that our rep- 
resentatives bo requested to use their best exertions to 
effect the passage of such charter. 

Committee under the second resolution, Daniel Wurtz, 
Thos. Anderson, S. S. Goodwin, S. S. Nicholas, Gar- 
nett Duncan. 

Committee under the third resolution, J. H. Tyler, 
W. D. Payne, W. S. Vernon. 

Committee under the fiftli resolution, J. TI. Tyler, J. 
Guthrie, J. S. Snead, J. L Jacob, G. W. Merriweather, 
D. R. Roignard, Geo. Keats. 

These committees having duly reported, their memo- 
rials were sent forward to the legislature, and on the 13th 
day of February, 1828, the act of incorporation passed 
and Louisvillfe became a city. Portland had refused to 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 175 



become annexed to the city as yet, but Sliippingport had 
consented to the compact. The act of incorporation 
defines the limits of the city as follows : Beginning at 
the stone bridge Over Bear Grass creek, near Geiger's 
mills, thence on a straight line to the upper corner of 
Jacob Geiger's land on the Ohio river, and theiice by a 
straight line down the Ohio river, so as to include Corn 
Island and the quarry adjacent thereto, and thence to the 
upper boundary of Sliippingport to the back line thereof, 
and the same course continued until it intersects the 
bf ckline of the town of Louisville, when extended west- 
wardly far enough to meet the said line extending out 
from the river with the upper boundary of Sliippingport, 
thence from the said intersection to the south or l)ack 
line of the present town of Louisville, and with the said 
back line to the south fork of Bear Grass creek, thence 
down the middle thereof to the beginning. The usual 
powers of a municipalrbody were vested in a Mayor and 
City Council, consisting of ten persons. The city was 
divided into five w^ards, each entitled to two councilmen, 
who were to be elected annually. These elections were 
to be held on the first Monday in every March. On 
election, the Mayor and Councilmen were to take an 
oath of office and these oaths were recorded. They were 
to choose a clerk annually, whose duty it should be to 
keep a record of the proceedings of the board, sign all 
warrants issued by them and to deliver over to his suc- 
cessor all books and papers entrusted to him. Five 
Councilmen and the Mayor or six Councilmen should 
constitute a quorum. The meetings of the board were to 
be public, and the Mayor's salary should h? fixed by the 



176 HISTORY OF I.OUISVILI.E. 



(Juiincilraen. The Mayor was not allowed any judicial 
authority in civil mattei*s, Lut had tlie power of a justice 
of the peace over slaves and free negroes, and similar 
powers to require surety for good behavior and for the 
peace ; ?Lnd the power assigned to two Justices of the 
Peace in committing criminal ofi'enders and sending them 
on for trial ; he also had the casting vote in case of a 
tie in the board over which he presided, but had no vote 
otherwise. The powers before delegated to the Trustees 
were now vested in the Mayor and Council, and in ad- 
dition to these were granted power to prohibit the erec- 
tion of wooden buildings within certain limits, to erect 
suitable buildings for a poor and work -house, to establish 
one or more free schools iji each ward, to elect all sub- 
ordinate officers, and to pass by-laws with adequate 
penalties for their infraction. The office of City Mar- 
shal was also created by the act. He was to be chosen 
annually by the people, and, if required by the Council, 
he was to have a resident deputy in each ward of the 
city. His duties were to preserve order at all sessions 
of the Mayor and Council, and to execute all processes 
emanating from the Mayor. He was to be appointed 
City Collector and State Collector within the city. He 
was to execute bond, with sufficient security, before the 
Mayor and Council, to the State, for the performance of 
his duties, and a lien was retained on all his lands and 
slaves, and on those of his sureties, for all sums of money 
whicli came into his hands He had the same powers 
and duties within the city as a ShcrifJ" and received the 
same fees. Not less than two persons were to be voted 
for as Mayor, and the two having the highest vote for 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 177 



this office were to be certified to the Governor, one of 
whom w^as by him to be commissioned and submitted to 
the Senate for their advice and consent. This charter 
was to be in force for five years from and after its pas- 
sage, and no longer, and upon the dissohition of the 
corporation, all property was to revert to the Trustees 
of the town, to be chosen or appointed as heretofore di- 
rected by law. 

The first election under this charter was held on the 
fourth day of March, 1828. Mr. J. C. Bucklin was 
elected Mayor, by a small majority over Mr. W. Tomp- 
kins, and W. A. Cocke was elected Marshal b}^ a large 
majority. The following gentlemen were elected Coun- 
cilmen : Messrs. John M. Talbott, W. D. Payne, G. 
W. Merriweather, Richard Hall, Jas. Harrison, J. Mc- 
Gilly Cuddy, John Warren, Elisha Applegate, Daniel 
McAllister and Fred. Turner. Samuel Dickinson was 
appointed Clerk. 

A writer in the Focus, for January 20, 1829, gives 
an idea of the commerce of Louisville in regard to cer- 
tain leading articles jit this period. He says that from 
1st of January, 1828, to 1st of January, 1829, ihere 
were received and sold in this place 4144 hogsheads of 
sugar and 8607 bags and barrels of cofiee, amounting in 
value to $584,681. He also fixes the inspections of 
tobacco in Louisville at 2050 hhds. for 1826, 4354 hhds. 
for 1827, and 4075 hhds. for 1828. The average price 
of these was, for 1826, $2 67, for 1827, |2 59, and for 
1828, $1 98^. The whole value of these for the three 
years was $468,672 88. 1140 of these were shipped to 
.Pittsburi;c. 3048 to New Orleans, 320 man uiactured acre. 



17« niSTOKY OV LOUiSYlJ,LK. 

and 45 S were stemmed. In this article sugars are quoted 
at $7 04 to $7 02, by tlie barrel, gunpowder tea at $1 20 
to $1 25 ; and it also states that groceries of all kinds 
can be had here at as cheap rates as they can be procured 
either in New York or New Orleans. A writer in tlie 
Kentucky Ileportcr also adds to this information the 
following statement: The store roonts of the principal 
wholesale merchants are larger and better adapted to 
business purj^oses than- any to be found in the commer- 
cial cities of the East. Not a few of them are from 100 
to 130 feet in depth, by 30 feet wide, and from three to 
four stories high, aiwl furnished with fire proof vaults 
for the preservation of books and papers in case of fire. 
Tlie wholesale business has increased very rapidly of 
late, perhaps doubled in tlie course of two years. There 
has also been a proportionate increase in the shipping 
and forwarding business. Mechanics of all sorts hav^ 
full employment and good wages." 

An excellent criterion to judge of the connnerce ol' a 
place and to show the increase of its business, is its ex- 
change operations. The following statement of Domes- 
tic Bills of Exchange, derived from the official documents 
of the bank of the U. S., being the amount on hand and 
unpaid on the 1st January of each year, will give some 
idea of the amount and increase of the business of Lon- 
isvi^e: 

J:ni. 1. :8-2G— Bills of EAcliaugc ou li.inl $4G,392 

- 1837, - ■• " ' .'.... 108.287 

" 1828, 184.144 

" 1S29, :!50,:i54 

The aggregate ol" business, as ascertained by a personal 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 179 



application and inspection of the books of the principal 
houses, was ascertained to be about $13,000,000. 

On the 17th of September, in this year, the branch of 
the Commonwealth's Bank was robbed of $25,000 in its 
own notes. The robbery took place before 9 o'clock in 
the evening. The door communicating with an entry 
was opened by a false key, the iron chest quietly un- 
locked, the notes taken, and the front door opened with- 
out any alarm being given. A reward of one thousand 
dollars in specie was offered for the apprehension of the 
robber and also a similar reward of $1500 for the re- 
covery of the money. These rewards did not, however, 
produce the desired result and neither the money nor the 
robber was ever discovered. 

During this year there was a secession of about fifty 
members from the Methodist Episcopal church here, who 
Ibrmed and established the first Methodist Reformed 
church. They coustructed an edifice at the corner of 
Green and Fourth Streets, of which Mr. N. Snethen was 
the pastor. This church was afterwards used by the 
congregation of the First Presbyterian church, was then 
sold to the negroes, and finally torn down to make 
room for the immense Masonic Hall now being built on 
that spot. 

The last event of this year which will be noticed here 
is the erection of the first city school house. This 
building, still standing at the south-west corner of Wal- 
nut and Fifth Streets, was then an extremely creditable 
ornament to the city. It is capable of containing seven 
or eight hundred pupils and is divided into a male and 
female department, which are entirely distinct from each 



180 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



other. It was superiutended by the Mayor and six Trus- 
tees, aiinnally chosen by the Council. The first board 
of Trustees was composed of the following gentlemen : 
Jas. Guthrie, Jas. II. Overstreet, Wm. Sale, Samuel 
Dickinson, F. Cosby and Dr. J. P. Harrison. The 
standard of education pursued was as high as that of 
any private school and the terms were only from one 
dollar to one dollar and a half per quarter. The annual 
expense of this school to the city was $5,G82. Several 
equally large schools have been since erected and the 
system of free-schools somewhat changed. These wiU bo 
noticed at greater length in another part of this history. 



CHAPTER yil. 

The opening of the next year — 1830 — found the young 
city in a highly prosperous and thriving position. The 
security and permanence given to enterprise by the char- 
ter had its effect on all departments of business. Ar- 
rangements were made at the beginning of the season 
for the erection of not less than five hundred substantial 
brick houses, and, according to the report of a promi- 
nent resident of a sister city, there was not another place 
in the United States which was improving and increasing 
in population more rapidly than this. The number of 
inhabitants, as ascertained by census, had reached 10,- 
336, and was still rapidly increasing. The friends of 
Louisville had every reason to congratulate themselves 
upon her position. The pecuniary troubles which soon 
after involved the place were not foreseen, and, with 
buoyant hopes and high expectations, the citizens looked 
forward to a continuance of their unexampled prosperity. 
How these hopes were wrecked and these expectations 
reduced, the history of the next decade will show. 

The first act to be noticed in connection with the city 
was an amendment to the charter, which prevented the 
Council from borrowing or appropriating money without 
the consent of a majority of their body. As the pro- 
I ject of a bridge over the Ohio was then talked of, and as 
i the Lexington and Ohio Kailroad had been suggested, and 
i the city in her corporate capacity had been warmly urged 
i " 9 



182 HISTOBT OF LOUISVILLE. 



to make large subscriptions of stock to these enterprises, 
this provision was probably thought necessary to prevent 
too great lavishness in expenditure. 

The next event of the year was the organization of 
another Presbyterian church under the Rev. Mr. Saw- 
tell. It was commenced in April with 12 members who 
seceded from the First Presbyterian church, A build- 
ing for worship was erected on Third Street, between 
Green and Walnut, and the church rapidly increased in 
numbers. It is at present in charge of Eev. Dr. Hum- 
phrey. 

< The last circumstance to be noticed in this rapid sketch 
of the year 1830, is the establishment of the Daily Jour- 
nal by Prentice & Buxton, afterward Prentice & John- 
ston, then Prentice & Weissinger, and jfinally Prentice 
& Henderson. It was first published on an imperial 
sheet at $10 per annum. Although commenced by an 
entire stranger, as Mr. Prentice then was, the power of 
its articles and the exquisite A-ein of humor and irony 
displayed in its columns, soon gave it such popularity, 
that, even before its union with the Focus in 1832, it 
had risen to a firm and enviable position. In December 
Mr. Edwin Bryant became an associate editor of the pa- 
per, but did not remain in that position for more than 
six months. Soon after the establishment of the Jour- 
nal the newspaper war with the Advertiser, so well re- 
membered here and so widely known abroad as having 
given birth to a fund of wit and of satire heretofore un- 
paralleled in the annals of newspapers, was commenced. 
Even the distant English journals had each their column 
headed — "Prenticeana" — and the ])aper was sought after 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 18B 

far and near by every lover of fun or of hnmor in the 
land. It is to be regretted that the shifting character of 
American politics has rendered so many of the happiest 
of these allusions and witticisms obscure to the unpolit- 
ical or to the distant reader ; a collected volume of them 
would else aflbrd a delightful compendium for a leisure 
hour. To the older resident of Louisville, it may be 
interesting; to recall the commencement of this loner and 
hard-fought battle. Mr. Penn of the Advertiser, who 
had deservedly maintained since 1819 the most promi- 
nent rank as an editor in the West, was kind enough to 
furnish the Journal, at its commencement, with all its 
exchanges. This favor is repeatedly acknowledged by 
the Journal with great courtesy, but does not blind that 
paper to the fact that it is about to be attacked by the 
opposite party. Whereupon, after some time, the fol- 
lowing article was published : "We assure the editor of 
the Advertiser that we shall never under any circum- 
stances covet a personal controversy with him. We do 
not believe that his readers would be willing to pay him 
$10 a year for dissertations upon our private character, 
however bad it may be ; and we are quite sure that ours 
would be loth to pay that sum for daily disquisitions on 
him, whatever may be his excellencies. "vYe lia-?o a no 
respect for the Jackson editors in the West, but we trust 
to be believed when we say our respect is undebased by 
fear. We prefer that they should accept our hand open 
and ungloved, but if they would rather have it in the 
shape of a fist, it is still at their service." The Ad- 
vertiser, seeming to prefer it in the latter form, hereup- 
on commences anew its attack, wlieu the war is opened 



184: HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



in earnest by the Journal, which, at the end of a some- 
what long and rather tart paragraph, let off in reply the 
following first coup de Gano7i: We believe he (Mr. 
Penn) has not had an article since we came here that 
was not made up of hints taken from the Journal. Well, 
we have one consolation — 'Ae that giveth to the poor 
lendeth to the Lord.'' " This is followed up by a series 
of well directed blows, which are vigorously replied to 
till the eleventh or twelfth "round," when one of the 
parties left the field, still, however, refusing to consider 
himself vanquished. < 

With the year 1831 came another amendment to the 
charter, which provides that the real estate in Louisville 
and the personal estate of all persons dying therein shall 
be subject to escheat to the Commonwealth, vested in the 
Mayor and Council, for the use of public schools. Also 
that all fines inflicted in Jefferson county shall be vested 
in the same manner, the fund arising therefrom to be 
expended in the purchase of a lot and erecting buildings 
thereon for said schools. It also provides that Jailor's 
fees for commitments for offenses in Louisville shall be 
paid out of the city fund. These amendments to the 
charter are so numerous and of such frequent recurrence 
that wo oKall hereafter be content with a mere allusion 
to them. 

It was also during this year that the present bank of 
Kentucky was built, with a view to the uses of the bank 
of the United States. A Louisville Lyceum was also 
established under the patronage of some of the most dis- 
tinguished citizens of Louisville. This literary associ- 
ation continued in being for several vcars but finallv 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 185 



was obliged, like all its fellows, to sink beneath the 
careless inattention of a purely commercial commu- 
nity. 

In 1832 a new calamity came upon the city. This 
was an unparalleled flood in the Ohio. It commenced 
on the 10th of February and continued until the 21st of 
that month, having risen to the extraordinary height of 
51 feet above low-water mark. The destruction of pro- 
perty by this flood was immense. Kearly all the frame 
buildings near the river were either floated oif or turned 
over and destroyed. An almost total cessation in busi- 
ness was the necessary consequence ; even farmers from 
the neighborhood were unable to get to the markets, the 
flood having so afiected the smaller streams as to render 
them impassable. The description of the sufierings by 
this flood is appalling. This calamity, however, great 
as it was, could have but a temporary eflfect on the pro- 
gress of the city, as will be seen hereafter. 

On the 27th of May the first Unitarian church was 
dedicated. It is situated at the corner of Walnut and 
Fifth streets, and was under the direction of the Rev. 
Geo. Chapman, of Mass. The building of the Louisville 
Hotel, and the issue of the first Directory ever printed 
here, were also events of this period. This Directory 
was published by R. W. Otis, and contains, beside much 
other valuable matter, a brief sketch of the history of 
the cit}", from the pen of Mr. Mann Butler, the accom- 
plished historian of Kentucky. From it we get the fol- 
lowing commercial table of Imports from Dec. 1st, 1831, 
to Aug. 4th, 1832, which will prove interesting to the 
reader of statistics : 



186 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



Bale Rope 26 830 coils. 

Bagging 33:411 pieces. 

Chiua, &.C 1,170 p'ckgs. 

Coffee 18.289 bags. 

Cottou 4.913 bales. 

Mackerel 12,037 bbls. 

Salt, Kan. and Cone. .16,729 " 
Salt, Turk's Island.. .18,146 bags. 
Tea 63,500 lbs. 



Flour 48 470 bbls. 

Hides 19.1-21 

Iron 631 tons. 

Lead 231 " 

Molasses 6,309 bbls. 

Nails 10,39.5 kegs. 

Sugar, N. O, 7.7J7lihds. 

" Loaf......... 4 318 bbls. 

Tin Plate 3 108 boxes. 



The inspection of whiskey during this time amounted 
to 14,627 barrels. This Directory also gives the follow- 
ing as the statistics of manufactures : 

One steam woolen i'actory, employs 30 hands and con- 
sumes 25,000 pounds of wool per annum. 

One cotton factory, employs 80 hands and consumes 
500 bales annually ; works 1,056 spindles. 

Two potteries. 

One steam grist mill. 

Two foundries, employing together 155 hands and con- 
suming 1,200 tons of iron per annum. 

Sixteen brick yards. 

One steam planing mill, with two machines and two 
circular saws ; planes, tongues, grooves, &c., about 
2,000 feet of boards to each machine per day. 

Three breweries. 

Two white lead factories consume 600 tons lead an- 
nually. 

Four rope walks, which work up 600 tons of hemp 
per annum. 

Passing on as rapidly as may be, we come first to the 
chartering of the Bank of Louisville. The book were 
opened for subscription to this bank in March, 1833, and 
closed on the third day, $1,500,000 having been subscri- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 187 



bed in that brief period. By the act of incorporation the 
capital was fixed at $2,000,000, but the commissioners 
were allowed to close the books at an}^ time after $500,- 
000 were subscribed. Each director was required to 
take oath not to permit any violation of this charter. 

The next event in order was another amendment to 
the city charter, which provides that no street or alley 
can be laid out without consent of Council — that a jury 
shall assess what damages shall be awarded, and w^hat 
paid by persons injured or benefitted by opening streets 
or alleys — that it shall not be necessary for the Council 
to have alphabetical lists of the voters made out, except 
for the tax collectors and judges of the election — that 
those only shall be eligible to office who are house-keep- 
ers or free-holders and have paid taxes the preceding 
year in the city of Louisville — that the removal of a 
councilman from the ward in which he was elected stiall 
cause his office to be vacant, and that any vacancy oc- 
curring either in this way or by resignation shall be sup- 
plied by the Council out of the said ward. 

A museum was opened here at this period by a num- 
ber of gentlemen as stockholders, under the direction of 
J. R. Lambdin; the collection of objects of natural his- 
tory, of curiosity, and of vertu was extremely good. A 
Savings' Bank was also established during the year, un- 
der the direction of Ed. Crow, President; and E. D. 
Hobbs, Treasurer. 

The editor of a Frankfort paper, giving an account of 
his visit to Louisville about this time, says: "Whoever 
visits this city leaves it with the conviction that all the 
elements are at work, which must advance it to a great 



188 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



commercial town, and urge it on till it has passed all 
the towns of the Ohio in the race for supremac3^" It is 
not to be wondered at that the thriving appearance of 
the city at this time should have attracted the attention 
and notice of strangers, and the more particularly as all 
the neighboring towns and cities were now suffering 
from the visitations of that dreaded and dreadful scourge, 
the Cliolera, w^hile Louisville hardly knew of its pres- 
ence. The causes of disease here had been in a great 
measure removed, and notwithstanding the fears which 
the approach of the plague had inspired in a city which 
had before suffered so severely from contagion, the chol- 
era passed lightly over it, not making sufficient impres- 
sion to produce any effect against its prosperity. This was 
the more a cause of congratulation to the city as it afford- 
ed an opportunity to prove the falsity of the reports pre- 
judicial to its health, which were still industriously circu- 
lated. But though exempt from this visitation, the city 
did not pass another year without its share of calamity. 
The government deposites which had heretofore been 
placed in the banks here and used by them as banking cap- 
ital, were now removed, and as a consequent there arrived 
another disastrous period of pecuniary distress . This was 
so severe as to call for a meeting of the citizens, which 
took place at the court house in 1834, and the object of 
which was to memorialize the government upon the sub- 
ject of their troubles. Of this meeting, T. Gwathmey was 
President, D. Smith and E. Crow, Vice Presidents, and 
C. M. Thruston and F. A. Kaye, Secretaries. In the 
words of the memorial, "all is gloom and despondence, 
all uncertainty and suspense, all apprehension and fore- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 189 



boding. Prices here have fallen beyond any former ex- 
ample. Flour has sunk from $4 to $3, or even $2 50 
per barrel. Hemp, pork, and every other commodity 
has decreased in an equal degree. Real property has 
fallen in many instances 50 per cent. It is believed 
that there will not be employment during the ensuing 
season for one-fourth of the mechanics and working men 
of Louisville. Few contracts for building have been 
or are likely to be made. In the opinion of the memo- 
rialists, the first remedy for this state of things is the re- 
storation of the deposites. They therefore pray that the 
deposites be restored, and such measures taken in rela- 
tion to a National Bank as shall be most likely to afi'ord 
relief to the country." This crisis does not seem to 
have produced very disastrous results here, but was 
probably more severe in anticipation than in reality. 
It is even possible that, as political excitement ran very 
high, and as this removal of the deposites was very ob- 
noxious to one of the political parties, that the evil was 
a foreboding induced by their own fears, and of such a 
character as actually to produce a temporary depression 
in business. And this opinion is supported by the fact 
that no material change seems to have taken place in 
the onward progress of the city. The policy and pro- 
priety of establishing water works had been for some 
time under discussion, and in this year the city went so 
far as to purchase a site for a reservoir on Main above 
Clay Street. This project was very soon abandoned, 
but whether from the pressure of the times or from the 
opposition of many of the citizens does not appear in 
any record of the period. The incorporation a,nd survey 



190 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



of two turnpike companies, the Bardstown and Lonis- 
ville, and Elizabethtown and Louisville, during the 
same year, would however seem to incline us to believe 
that it was not given up for the want of means. The 
state of affairs, even if as bad as represented in the me- 
morial, does not seem to have thrown a very deep or 
settled gloom over the community ; on the contrary an 
incident of the period would seem to show a light-heart- 
edness and freedom from care not common in times of 
distress. This incident was the sudden appearance in 
the streets of the city of a very singular procession, 
since known as the Comical Guards. They were in- 
troduced as a burlesque of the militia drills, then of bi- 
ennial occurrence here. The procession was headed by 
an enormous man, rivaling Daniel Lambert in his su- 
perabundance of flesh, mounted on an equally overgrown 
ox, on whose hide w^as painted the following descriptive 
motto, "TAe Bull-ioo'rJcs of oilt Country.'''' This he- 
roic captain also wore a sword of mighty proportions, on 
whose trenchant blade was written in letters of scarlet the 
savage inscription, '-''Blood or Guts!'''' This leader was 
followed by a band of equally singular character; long 
men on short horses, little boys on enormous bony Rozi- 
nantes, picked up from off the commons; men enclosed 
in hogsheads, with only head, feet and arms visible; 
men encased even to helmet and visor in wicker-work 
armour, and a thousand other knights of fanciful cos- 
tume, and all marching with heroic step to the martial 
clangor of tin pans, the braying of milkhorns, the shrill 
sound of whistles, the piping of cat-calls, and the cease- 
less din of penny-trumpets and cornstalk fiddles. This 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 191 



procession halted in its progress through the streets in 
front of the residences of the officers of the militia, and 
after saluting them with a flourish of music, made them 
a speech, and cheered them with a chorus of gi-oans. 
After marching bravely through the principal streets, 
this procession suddenly disappeared from public view 
never again to greet the sunlight. 

Toward the last of June, the news of the death of La- 
fayette reached the city, and on the first of July a meet- 
ing was held, and resolutions passed recommending the 
stores to be closed, and the day spent in exercises suit- 
able to the occasion. A procession, in which the trades 
and professions were all represented, and which was the 
largest ever seen in the city, was formed, and after pas- 
sing through the principal streets, stopped in the lot occu- 
pied by Mr. Jacob, where a eulogy was delivered by Mr. 
M. R. Wigginton. All who had joined in the proces- 
sion, wore crape on the left arm for thirty days. The 
whole proceedings of the day were highly creditable to 
the city, and highly worthy of the occasion. Another 
event of the year was the establishment of a new paper 
called the Louisville Xotary and published weekly by 
D. C. Banks and A. E. Drapier. This paper however 
never rose to any eminence in the city. 

During 1833 and 1834 two new amendments had been 
made to the charter. One of them authorizes some tri- 
fling change in the boundary of the city, and the other 
allows the borrowing of money to erect Water-Works, 
and compels the inspector of liquors to mark the degree 
of proof on the head of each barrel. The next year — 
1835 — also shows similar amendments: first, requiring 



192 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

the valuation of property to be made on the 10th of 
January in each year; second, authorizing the city mar- 
shall to collect his bills for summoning juries; and third 
authorizing the city to subscribe for stock in the Lex- 
ington and Ohio Eailroad Company, This road was 
this year opened to Frankfort. The building of the 
Gait House also dates from this period, as does the first 
movement toward lighting the city with gas. 

It will be recollected that in 1830 the population was 
given at 10,336, in 1835 it had reached by actual cen- 
sus 19,967, giving an increase of nearly one hundred 
per cent, in less than five years! The Tax list for this 
year will also show a similar increase: 

Real estate and Improvements valued at $10,425,446 

Personal Property 644 250 

Tylhables, white and black, 4,960 at $150 7,440 

34 1-t rate stores at $80 : 2,720 

422d '• " 6U 2.52 

573d " " 40 2,880 

G2 4r,h - " 20 1,240 

68 H fks, 132 Drays, 53 Waggons, $4; 124 Carts $2 1,260 

.50 Coffee-llouses at $50 2,500 

10 Taverns at $50 500 

GO Groceries and Spirits at $50 3,000 

96 Spirits alone at 40 3,840 

20 Groceries alone, and 20 Confectioners at 15 720 

A table of the imports of the city has been so recently 
given, that it may be more interesting to oflfer now a list 
of exports, for the six months succeeding January 1st, 
1835, which is as follows: 

Tobacco, 1,337 lilids. Whisky. .14,643 bbls. Bagging. .65,348 p's. 

114 boxes. Flour.... 19,999 " Pale Rope. 42,030 els. 

Bacon..2,813 560 lbs. Lard 60.713 kegs. Pork 14,419 bbl 

Tallow. 149bbl9. Hemp... 38 tons. Lin.'eed Oil 72 bbl 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 193 



To this list may be added the amount of goods sold 
during the next year — 1836 — by 47 of the largest whole- 
sale dry good and grocery houses, which is officially 
stated at $12,128,6t)6 16. There were also built du- 
ring the summer of this latter year 110 stores and 114 
dwelling houses, all of the better class. Eents were 
steadily advancing on the stores, and "as for dwellings 
it would be impossible to rent one, finished or unfinish- 
ed. And these improvements resulted from the natural 
advantages of the place, and not from the completion of 
any of the works, to which the city had always looked as 
the precursors of greatness." These statistics require 
no additional demonstration to prove the progress of 
the town. The first thing worthy of notice in this year 
was a ninth amendment to the charter, which abolishes 
the Mayor's Court and establishes a Police Court in lieu 
thereof. This court was to be a court of record ; its 
judge to be appointed as other judges, and to receive a 
salary of $1200. The prosecuting attorney to be elected 
by the Council. The City Court, as far as it is a Police 
Court, should always be open, and for the trial of pleas 
of the Commonwealth, there were to be monthly terms of 
of said court, to commence on the first Monday in each 
month. It might summon grand juries. This act also 
fixed the salary of the Mayor at $2,000, and compelled 
all insurance offices to file with the Mayor a certified 
copy of their charters ; it also extended the city boun- 
dary 300 feet above Geiger's Ferry landing. Two more 
newspapers were in this year added to the growing list 
of the city. The first of these was the Louisville City 
Gazette, a daily, published by John J, & Jas. B, Mar- 



194 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



shall; and the second, the Western Messenger, a month- 
ly, under the care of the Eev. J. F. Clark, This last 
was originally published in Cincinnati, but was this 
year transferred to Louisville. 

As will be remembered a motion had been made sev- 
eral years before this time toward the erection of a 
bridge over the Ohio. This project had been discussed 
from time to time ever since that period, and finally in 
this year, the contracts were entered into and the corner 
stone of the bridge was laid with all due ceremony, at 
the foot of Twelfth Street. The work however never 
progressed- beyond this, the contractor having failed to 
perform his duty, beside which the next year brought 
with it by far the most terrible calamity that had ever 
affected the city. The last few years had been years of 
such unexampled prosperity; confidence had become so 
thoroughly established, credit was so plenty, and luxury 
so courted, that, when the unexpected reverse came, the 
blow was indeed terrible. On the 19th of April, the 
Banks of Louisville and of Kentucky suspended specie 
payment, by a resolution of the citizens so authorizing 
them. Previous to this, the Banks all over the country 
had stopped; another awful commercial crisis had ar- 
rived, and one which Louisville felt far more severely 
than she had felt the former. Instead of passing lightly 
over her, as before, the full force of the blow was felt 
throughout the whole community. House after house, 
which had easily rode out the former storm, now sunk 
beneath the waves of adversity, until it seemed as if 
none would be left to tell the sad story. A settled 
gloom hung over the whole mercantile community. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 195 



Main Street was like an avenue in some deserted city. 
Wliole rows of houses were tenantless, and expectation 
was upon the tiptoe every day to see who would be the 
next to close. Each feared the other; all confidence 
was gone; mercantile transactions were at an end; and 
everything, before so radiant with the spring-time of 
hope and of promise, was changed to the sad autumn 
hues of a fruitless year. 

It was in the midst of this gloom and despondence 
which prevaded one part of the community, that the ears 
of another part were astonished and gladdened with a 
strain of melody, such as had not before stolen through 
the glades and groves of this western land. A young 
girl, modest and unpretending, unknown to all but her 
little circle, inspired by some unseen power, trembling- 
ly warbled forth a few verses of melody, but of such en- 
chanting power, beauty and harmony, that all the lite- 
rary world were confounded, and all eagerly inquired 
who it was that under the simple signature of "Ame- 
lia," and away off in the distant West had struck her 
lyre "with an angel's art, and with the power of the 
fabled Orpheus," and whose "strains had been caught 
up by melody-lovers throughout the Union, an:l sung in 
every peopled valley, and echoed from every sunny hill- 
side of our vast domain."* Such genius could not long- 
remain unknown; and soon the name of its possessor 
was proclaimed through the columns of the Louisville 
Journal, but the name gave no clue to the source whence 
this mighty power had been derived. For the many, 
the ten days wonder soon passed away. The genius of 

* Gallagher' Review of Amelia in the Hesperiau for 1839. 



196 HISTORT OF LOUISVILLE. 



the writer was acknowledged and forgotten by them. 
But the true lovers of her art followed her for many 
years with looks of admiration, regard and affection; and 
still, tliough her harp has long lain untouched, await 
with anxiety and hope for new strains from the lyre they 
have loved so well.* 

It is not for the historian to dwell at any length upon 
subjects kindred to this, agreeable as the theme may be. 
We must then revert again to the usual details of the 
year. The first of these was the reception here of the 
distinguished Mr. Webster, who was met some twelve 
miles from the city by a large number of citizens. On 
his arrival he was welcomed by the Mayor and invited 
to meet the citizens at a barbacue near the city. The 
season was one of great festivity, and nearly four thou- 
sand persons were present at the barbacue. Mr. Web- 
ster addressed the citizens in his usual felicitous manner. 

An important event of the year was the addition of 
the town of Portland to the limits of the city. The 
building of the First Presbyterian, and of St. Paul's 
(Episcopal) Church, and of the bank of Louisville, as 
well as the selection of this point as the site for the gov- 

* This hope is now destined never to be gratified, for. since the above 
was written, this accomplislied poetess and estimable woman has been called 
away to join her voice mth the angelic choir, whose harmonies are the de- 
light and the glory of the celestial world. On a bright May morning, such 
as her own songs have tatight us to love, when the earth was redolent of 
beauty, and the flowers were sending up to heaven the incense of their per- 
fumes, when all I'ejoicing nature was pouring out its moining orison to its 
Creator, the angels sent by her Heavenly Father, came and bore her spirit 
to its home in the skies. And so 

"t^he has pnsseil like a bird from the minstrel throng, 
She has gone to the hind where the lyvolv belong." 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 19* 



eminent hospital, and the incorporation of the Louisville 
Manufacturing Company, are among the events of this 
year. A paper called the Western Journal of Education, 
was also issued from the Journal office, under the edit- 
orship of the Rev. B. O. Peers, but was soon discontin- 
ued for want of sufficient patronage. 

For some time previous to this period the removal of 
the medical department of Transylvania University at 
Lexington to this city had occupied much attention, and 
had created some bitterness of feeling between the two 
cities. In this year this vexed question was finally de- 
cided by the Legislature against the removal; no less to 
the gratification of Lexington than to the serious annoy- 
ance of this city. The examination of the subject how- 
ever brought to light an old charter, passed in 1833 and 
amended in 1835, which sufficed to enable a new school 
of medicine to be established here. The city according- 
ly set apart four acres of ground and the sum of $.50,000 
in money for its use, and so organized a medical school 
here, of which Messrs. Caldwell, Cooke, Cobb, Flint, 
Yandell, Miller and Locke were the professors. In 
February of the next year, the corner stone of the build- 
ing to be erected by the city for this use was laid, and 
soon after Dr. Flint, with the money appropriated for 
that purpose, visited Europe, and purchased a fine libra- 
ry and apparatus for the Institution. Few, if any me- 
dical schools in the United States, have ever risen as 
rapidly in public favor, or as speedily attained as high 
position in public estimation as this. The first course 
of lectures was delivered to 80 students, the second to 
120, the third to 205, the fifth to 262; and since that 



198 HISTOliY OF L0UI8VILLE. 



time the classes have reached 400 pupils. It has attain- 
ed the rank of the first school of medicine in the West, 
and is second to few in the country. There is now an- 
other medical school in this city, which will be noticed 
at the proper place. 

The next year — 1838 — brings us to the opening of a 
railroad to Portland. This road was intended to con- 
nect with the Lexington and Ohio railroad. It was kept 
in employ but a very short time, the citizens on Main 
Street below the depot at Sixth were violently opposed 
to the road, and used every effort to impair its usefulness. 
After the establishment of the Blind Asylum here, the 
profits of this road were transferred to that institution; 
but it did not long enjoy the advantages so offered, for 
the road was discontinued by an application to court 
from some of the citizens, as offensive to some, and un- 
profitable to all. 

A glance at the population of the city for this year 
will Show, that in spite of the commercial difficulties of 
the time, the city still grew with astonishing rapidity. 
It had now reached a population of 27,000, showing a 
gain of 7,033 in three years. 

The only other event worthy of remembrance was the 
robbery of the Savings Bank. This was effected in the 
daytime, by a man named Clarendon E. Dix, who enter- 
ed the bank about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Soon after 
this time, Mr. Julien, the cashier of the bank, entered 
the establishment and found Dix, who had still in his 
hand the large bank hammer, w^ith which he had killed 
the clerk whom he found there. Finding that he should 
be vanquished in the struggle with Mr. Julien, Dix 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 199 



drew a pistol and shot himself. He was believed to be 
insane. 

The Literary ISTewsletter, a paper under the charge of 
Ed. Flagg, editor, was issued from the Journal office in 
December of this year. Its existence was limited to 
about thirty months. It was however eminently deserv- 
ing of a much greater success than attended its issue. 

The Kentucky Historical Society was also incorpora- 
ted at this time, under the direction of Hon. J. Kowan, 
President; Hon. Geo. M. Bibb and Hon. Henry Pirtle, 
Yice Presidents; D. C. Banks, Recording Secretary; and 
Edward Jarvis, Corresponding Secretary and Librarian. 
Its library which was amassed by the indefatigable zeal 
of Dr. Jarvis, is now incorporated with the Louisville 
Library. The Society itself is not now in active exist- 
ence. 

Early in 1839, there was established a Ladies' Provi- 
dent Society, for the benefit of the poor. This society 
was organized in the best possible manner, and was of 
very great value to the city. A depot for the reception 
of donations of food, clothing, &c., was established, 
where also work was provided for such indigent females 
I as failed to find employment elsewhere. The city was 
divided into wards, to eacli of which two female and one 
] male visitor was apportioned, and the poor in each dis- 
j trict were carefully and judiciously attended to. ISTo 
! better scheme for ameliorating the distress which is ever 
to be found in cities, could have been invented, and it is 
I greatly to be regretted that this noble monument of 
charity no longer exists. The present form of provision 
for the destitute, though good, is far less efiective than 



200 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



was this; and it is believed that if the Provident So- 
ciety were now re-established, the increase both of 
wealth and population in the city would prevent its 
second failure. The Scotch Benevolent Society, which 
is an association of Scotchmen for the purpose of reliev- 
ing any necessitous persons of their own countrymen 
who may be in Louisville, was also instituted at this 
time, and is still in active operation. 

The well remembered visit to this city of the beautiful 
and accomplished America, descendant of Amerigo 
Yespucci, the voyager whose name is so closely identi- 
fied with the discovery of this continent, occurred du- 
ring this year. It will be recollected that she was an 
exile, and in distress; and that she had visited this 
country with the hope of obtaining some aid from the 
government, which she solicited in view of her ances- 
tor's name and services. A private subscription was 
commenced for her at the ofiice of the Journal, which, 
however, she declined, saying: "A national boon will 
ever honor the memory and the descendant of Amerigo 
Yespucci, but America, even as an exile in the United 
States, cannot accept an individual favor, however cour- 
teous and delicate may be the manner in which it is 
proffered." 



CHAPTEE VIII. 

This history now approaches a period so recent, that 
it will hardly be necessary to chronicle the events of the 
next decade with as much minuteness as has heretofore 
been attempted. The render will doubtless long ago 
have perceived the difficulty of stringing together inci- 
dents, interesting in themselves, yet having so little 
bearing upon each other, as frequentl}^ to present more 
the dryness of a chronological table of events, than to 
offer the interest of a consecutive history. It is believed 
however, that in preparing a book of this character, this 
difficulty could not well be avoided, especially if intend- 
ed, as this is, to be used as a work of general reference. 
The events of the next ten years are however so en- 
tirely within the memory of all, that the same attention to 
minutiae need not be preserved, such things possessing 
interest less from their inherent value, than from the 
period of their occurrence. It will, however, be still 
necessary to notice all that pertains absolutely to the 
interests or prosperity of the city. 

Commencing then with the year 1840, and keeping 
in view the fact that the effects of the disastrous crisis 
of 1837 were not yet passed away, the first thing claim- 
ing notice, is some account of the state of the city as it 
then was. The census of the United States for this year 
assigns to Louisville: 1 commercial, and 11 commission 
houses, [a somewhat indefinite phraseology.] in foreign 



202 HI8TOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



trade, with a capital of $191,800; 270 retail stores, 
with a capital of $2,128,4:00; 3 lumber yards, with a 
capital of $52,000; 2 flouring mills; 2 tanneries; 2 
breweries; 1 glass cutting works; 1 pottery; 2ropewalks; 
7 printing offices; 2 binderies; 5 dail3% 7 weekly, and 3 
semi-weekly newspapers; and 1 periodical: total capital 
employed in manufactures, $713,675. One college, 80 
students; 10 academies, 260 students; 14 schools, 388 
scholars. The aggregate of population by this census 
was 21,210; of which 9,282 white males, 7,889 white 
females; 609 free colored persons, and 3,420 slaves. 
This census is not considered authentic, as many trans- 
parent errors were found in various parts of it. Other 
computations made from reliable data at the same pe- 
riod, give to the city 23,000 to 24,000 inhabitants. As 
the former number, however, has received official sanc- 
tion, it would be idle to dispute its correctness. 

Two events belong also to this year which were of 
vital importance. Of these, the first was the lighting 
of the city with gas. This was done by a corporate 
company, established by clmrter in 1839, having a capital 
of $1,200,000, with power also to erect water-works and 
with banking privileges, except the issue of bills. The 
city is better supplied with gas, and better lighted than 
any in the United States, if not in the world; most of the 
wealthier citizens use it in their dwellings, and all the 
shops are lighted with gas. Tlie perspective view of 
the miles of brilliant lamps stretching away in the dis- 
tance is very beautiful, and verj' attractive to strangers. 
Before the introduction of this sort of light, the city had 
been for two or three years greatly infested by robbers, 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 203 



who favored by the darkness, made nightly attacks upon 
passengers through the streets, striking and disabling 
them with colts, and in no few instances murdering them 
outright. Residents were seldom attacked by these ban- 
ditti, but the streets were considered unsafe for strangers. 
Finding it impossible to pursue their avocation where 
every street was brilliantly illuminated, these gentry 
changed their place of operations immediately on the 
lighting of the town, much to the relief of the citizens as 
well as the re-establishment of the fair fame of the city; 
The second of the events above alluded to was the con- 
flagration which will be long known as the Great Fire 
in Louisville. It originated about midnight, on Third 
Street, between Main and Market, in the chair factory of 
John Hawkins, and burned south within one door of the 
Post Office, (then at the corner of Market and Third 
Streets,) and north to Main Street. It then took a west- 
wardly direction down Main Street, destroying all the 
houses to within two doors of the Bank of Louisville. 
Its further progress having been arrested here, the flames 
crossed the street, and coming back upon their course 
destroyed nine large stores and one boarding house on 
the north side of Main, east of the middle of the sc^uare. 
Upwards of thirty houses were consumed, and the loss 
was estimated at more than $300,000. The houses de- 
stroyed were chiefly large importing and commercial 
stores; many of the goods were saved, but all the build- 
ings were entirely destroyed. This conflagration how- 
ever, proved in the end rather a gain than a loss to the 
city in general, as the site of the fire was speedily re- 
built in a much better stvle than before. 



204 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



The friends of the city were at this time urging the 
propriety of establishing manufactures here, a want not 
felt less at that time than now. In an article upon this 
subject in one of the daily papers, the following statis- 
tics of the sale of cotton goods were elicited, in which 
reference is had to the year 1841. "At this time there 
were sold, brown cottons to the value of $276,095 ; 
prints amounting to $249,824 ; cotton yarns to $224,- 
819 ; bleached cottons $89,589, and checks and tickings 
$68,180, making a total of $908,772 taken from the 
city, which, it was urged, could have been easily and 
profitably furnished on the spot. It was then said and 
may be now repeated that too little attention is paid 
to the vast advantages to be derived from the establish- 
ment of manufactures, especially at this point where the 
necessary power could and can be so easily and so cheap- 
ly attained. It is somewhat remarkable that this popu- 
lation has depended and still depends so entirely upon 
commerce as a means of gain. No other city perhaps 
in the world has so large a commercial business in pro- 
portion to its population. This is probably accounted 
for in the fact that the increase of commerce has been 
so rapid and the difficulty of overdoing the business so 
apparently impossible that every temptation has been 
offered to the capitalist to prefer this mode of invest- 
ment. The time, however, cannot be far distant when 
the advantages offered to the manufacturer will be ac- 
knowledged and embraced. Indeed the commencement 
of what nmst before long become a very large branch of 
prosperity here was already established, but it has not 
grown with a rapidity commensurate with the increase 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 205 

of other departments of trade. A few foundries and 
manufactories of bagging and rope were established 
abont this period. These, with the addition of a lard 
oil factory, begun by C. C. P. Crosby, in 1842, may be 
said to embrace the whole manufacturing business of the 
city in that year. Future statistics will show how it 
has increased, and will demonstrate the value of this 
addition to the trade; and to these we will now turn. 

The Louisville Directory for 1844 — 1845, compiled 
by N. Peabody Poor, and the best directory ever pub- 
lished here, gives a very complete and interesting view 
of the city for that year. As no events in any degree 
connected with the public interests, or of any especial 
political value, are referable to the period between this 
year and 1840, it will be as well to pass on at once to a 
notice of the results of these five years of steady progress- 
Beginning then with the population, which, it will bo re- 
membered, amounted in 1840 to 21,210, we find that 
in September, 1845, an actual census shows it to have 
reached 37,218 souls. Of these 32,602 were whites, 
560 free blacks, and 4,056 slaves. The increase of five 
years is thus shown to amount to 16,008. Nor was it 
alone in the matter of population that such rapid pro- 
gress had been made. The number of houses engaged 
in the wholesale and retail trade had increased from 270 
to upwards of 500, and in addition to these purely com- 
mercial houses, there were then "12 large foundries for 
the construction of steam machinery; 1 large rolling and 
slitting mill; 2 extensive steam bagging factories, capable 
of producing about 2,000,000 of yards annually; 6 cor- 
dage and rope factories, some of which produced 900,000 



206 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



pounds of bale rope annually, beside which there were 
several smaller rope walks for the making of sash cord, 
twine, &c.; 1 cotton factory; 1 woolen factory; 4 flour- 
ing mills, producing about 400 barrels daily; 4 lard oil 
factories; 1 white lead factory; 3 potteries; 6 extensive 
tobacco stemmeries, employing a large capital, where 
the leaf is stripped from the stem and re-packed for the 
English market; several tobacco manufactories; 2 glass 
cutting establishments; a large oil cloth factory; 2 sur- 
gical instrument makers; 2 lithographic presses; 1 pa- 
per mill; 1 star candle factory; 4 pork houses, which 
will slaughter and pack about 70,000 hogs annually; 3 
piano forte manufactories; 3 breweries; 8 brick yards; 
1 ivory black maker; 6 tanneries; 2 tallow rendering 
houses, rendering about 1,000,000 pounds annually; 8 
soap and candle factories; 3 planing machines; 2 scale 
factories; 2 glue factories; 3 large ship yards, at which 
have been built some of the fastest running boats on the 
river; besides several factories of less note,"* The 
simple statement of these facts furnishes a more con- 
vincing demonstration of the rapid and healthy progress 
of the city, than whole volumes of argument could afford. 
Another event bearing directly upon the prosperity of 
the city during the rest of this decade was the opening 
of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad. The subject 
of this road had for a long time agitated the city; many 
surveys had been made, and indeed the work had at one 
time progressed to the actual digging and embankment 
of several miles of the track. The opening of the road 
was finally effected by the subscription of one milliou 

* Haldeman's Directory for 1844-5. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 207 



of dollars by the city herself, which was paid by a tax 
of one per cent, for four years on all real estate within 
her limits, and this tax was re-paid to the owners in 
shares of stock. Although sanctioned by the vote of a 
very large majority of the citizens, this measure was for 
a while a very unpopular one; but the malcontents have 
lately found that the present loss was to them in the end 
a gain, and they are ready once more to submit to simi- 
lar taxation, if by so doing other roads can be construct- 
ed. Indeed th« subject of railroads was now eagerly 
taken up, and a just and most effective feeling in their 
fovor was taking the place of the former apathy and in- 
difference. The Louisville and Lexington Eailroad had 
opened so many new sources of wealth and developed 
such advantages before unthought of, that the policy of 
stretching out iron arms to embrace in their circle all 
possible resources was no longer doubted. Acting upon 
this feeling, the people of Louisville united with those 
of Jeffersonville in building a road from that point to 
Columbus, and with those of New Albany in uniting 
that growing city with Salem. The purpose had in 
view in the construction of these roads is the ultimate 
and not very distant connection of Louisville, Jefferson- 
ville and New Albany with Lake Erie, St. Louis and 
Lake Michigan. The entire line of the first of these 
roads is now in progress of construction, and the greater 
part of the other is under contract. Beside these, a rail- 
road hence to Nashville, Tenn., is now being surveyed, 
which will unite with roads already partly under op- 
eration leading to some point on the Atlantic coast, near 
i Charleston, S. C. The Louisville and Nashville end of 



208 HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 



this route will be .put under contract as soon as proper 
surveys can be established. Other roads are had in con- 
templation, but nothing has yet been done toward their 
construction. The effect of these improvements will be 
the subject of notice in another chapter. 

With the opening of the year 1850, was commenced 
the first of a series of movements which led to the form- 
ation of a new charter for the city. This document 
makes all city officers elective by the people, and places 
the government in the hands of a Mayor, a Board of 
Common Council, and a Board of Aldermen. Many of 
the provisions of this charter are found healthful and 
wise in their operation, while many others are incom- 
prehensible or impracticable. The firr^t Mayor under 
this new charter felt himself obliged to resign his office, 
on the plea of incompetence to perform the duties assign- 
ed to him by the instrument. The Council, however, 
unwilling to dispense with so efficient an officer as he 
had proved himself, continued him in place as '''•Mayor 
pro tera.^'' until the end of his term. Experience and 
the necessities of the city government will doubtless, as 
time progresses, so modify this instrument as to make its 
provisions work well and harmoniously. 

The annals of the city up to the year 1852 having now 
been presented to the reader, it only remains to offer a 
view of its present state in regard to population, com- 
merce, manufactures and social position; which, together 
with a chapter on its future destiny, will conclude this 
history. It is not the intention of this work purposely 
to mislead any, as to the actual position of the city, and 
therefore, instead of embracing with the statistics of 



HIBTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 209 



Louisville those of all the suburban villages and cities in 
the vicinity, as has universally been done by other west- 
ern places, we purpose to give such statistics as belong 
exclusively to this city. If, however, it is ever honest 
for a city to aggrandize to itself all the prosperity of its 
suburban neighbors, it is eminently so with Louisville. 
The towns immediately around the Mis are as ready to 
concede, as Louisville is to claim a perfect identity of in- 
terests. The pre-eminence which it has already gained 
over the neighboring towns forbids all hope of rivalry on 
their part, and compels them to unite their interests 
with those of Louisville as a means of their own pros- 
perity. In certain branches of trade, New Albany or 
Jeifersonville may and do successfully compete with this 
city, but it is idle to imagine that this partial success can 
benefit them in such a way as to afford them any supe- 
riority in point of fact On the contrary, this very suc- 
cess is owing entirely to their proximity to Louisville. 
Those branches of manufacture or of trade in which 
they excel find encouragement just so far as they are 
part and parcel of the manufactures or commerce of 
Louisville; and they would find no market for such 
wares, and no sale for such manufactures, did they de- 
pend only on their own resources of trade. It is the 
immediate contiguity of the large city which is their 
stimulus to exertion, and their means of preservation 
or of prosperity. They cannot but be considered as 
identical in interest with their elder sister. Nor, on the 
other hand, can it be denied that these places are of im- 
mense advantage to Louisville. Firstly, because they 
are situated in a free state, and hence can ofier freedom 



210 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



from the disadvantages of slavery; secondly, because, as 
smaller towns, they are cheaper residences for those 
whose means require attention to careful economy; third- 
ly, because they claim for Louisville the sympathy and 
encouragement of the State in which they are situated; 
and finally, because they extend the area of the trade and 
manufactures of the city. It is probable that if the same 
advantages which have made Louisville great had been 
offered to New Albany or to Jefiersonville, either of 
those places might have exceeded their more fortunate 
compeer. But now the supremacy once gained, cannot 
but be maintained; and the growth and prosperity, or 
the decay and adversity of Louisville, must either make 
or mar the fortunes of her sister towns. 

Before entering upon the commercial statistics ol" 
Louisville, it maybe well to consider its social position, 
and to endeavor to convey some idea of the advantages 
offered by this city as a place of residence, aside from its 
character as a commercial emporium. It is believed 
that there are few commercial cities on this continent 
which possess the same characteristics as this. The 
restlesness, the turmoil and the eagerness in the pursuit 
of wealth which is ever the characteristic of large com- 
mercial cities, has generally produced a littleness of 
feeling, and a selfishness of manner which does not at 
all tend to elevate the social position of those places, but 
rather causes them to lack that feature which in other 
countries is known and valued by the name '■Honey 
In Louisville, this does not appear. Lideed it is diffi- 
cult to reconcile the manner of pursuing traffic here with 
its results. As will be seen hereafter, tlie business of 



JUSTOKY OF LOUISVILLE, 211 



the citv is of great extent, and yet the stranger in its 
midst would perceive nothing to indicate such prosper- 
ity. Business is pursued quietly and without ostentation; 
no efforts are made by any to convince others of their 
successes; no factitious means are employed to display 
the results of labor, no hurry or restlessness or con- 
fusion attends even the largest and most prosperous 
houses. Trade is pursued as a means of gain, but is 
not allowed to blind its votaries to every other pursuit 
of life; business closes with the close of the, day, and is 
forgotten in other things, until it is revived on the mor- 
row. While pursued, it is pursued with all the avidity 
that is consistent with the dignity of manhood; but it is 
never allowed to obtrude where it does not belong, nor 
is it permitted to make any forget that there are other 
duties than those of the merchant, and other pleasures 
than that of adding dollar to dollar. Yet it is believed 
that there is no city in the Union where the aggregate 
amount of sales in any one department of business, di- 
vided by the number of houses engaged in that business, 
will show so large a result. Doubtless this state of 
things is in a great measure caused by the peculiarities 
of character which belong to the Kentuckian, and which 
are so essential an element in the society of this city, 
which society comes now to be considered in its proper 
form. 

There are certain traits in the Kentucky character 
which are everywhere spoken of with approbation. A 
manly independence, a generous frankness, and a care- 
less but attractive freedom of manner, united with un- 
bounded hospitality, and that true politeness and defer- 



212 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ence, which proceeds rather from natural instinct than 
from a knowledge of the rules of etiquette, are perhaps 
the chief of these characteristics. All these, and much 
more which will elude description, and which can be ap- 
preciated only by acquaintance, go to make up that praise- 
worthy trait of character which has always and every- 
where distinguished the Kentuckian, as fully as the most 
elaborate description could do, we mean his chivalry. 
Despising alike the narrow prejudices, the suspicious 
reserve, the silly dignity, the proud self-gratulation of 
the Yankee; and the pride of birth and of purse, the os- 
tentation of manner and the foppish pretension of the 
Southerner, he takes from the first his respect for talent, 
his patriotism and his spirit of enterprise, and from the 
last his genial warmth of heart, his worship of the beau- 
tiful, his deference for the other sex, and his manly in- 
dependence of heart. Add to these a bold and reckless 
frankness, an easy confidence, a love of adventure, a 
scorn of oppression, a noble intolerance of even seem- 
ing insult, and an almost criminal indifierence of life 
when duty or honor seems to call it into peril, and you 
have a fair picture of the true Kentuckian, of the char- 
acter which forms the basis of the society now under 
consideration. Perhaps the most distinguishing feature 
of this society is the readiness with which it receives 
and swallows up all those sectional differences which in 
other cities remain intact. Society here is generalized; 
the spirit of cliqueism does not prevail, social distinc- 
tions are marked in broad, plain lines, but the highest 
class is open to all who merit a place. The test of po- 
sition is neither wealth, birth, nor pretension; respecta- 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 213 



hlllty as readily enters the higher circles, and receives as 
ready encouragement as either of these. In other cities, 
society divides into numerous little circles, each claim- 
ing superior position to the other, each ridiculing the 
pretension and refusing the association of the other. 
Here, all are honored in their respective spheres, and 
few claim a position to which they are not entitled. 

Society here has also the power of generalization to 
the extent that sectional differences are lost by its mem- 
bers, and the Northern, Eastern or Southern man, as 
well as the native of another country, seems to lose all 
identity of manner, and becomes only an integral part 
of one great circle. The fashionable world acts as if 
with one common impulse, while the other, the larger 
and better class of respectable people, who do not aspire 
to this title, but who could claim it by the mere exercise 
of their will, are neither led by the heau monde^ on the 
one hand, nor, on the other, do they make a virtue of 
opposing this class. Society is correct in its outline and 
harmonious in detail. Distinctions of class, though 
plainly marked, are never offensively shown. 

Perhaps the worst feature of society is its lack of a 
proper reverence for the intellectual, its tendency to 
frivolity. The amusements most prized by all classes 
are of a frivolous character. The song, the play or the 
dance, are valued far above the lecture or the conversa- 
tion. The pleasures of the intellect are considered dull 
and tame, when compared with those which excite but 
for a moment, and are then forgotten. That the power 
of the intellectual man is acknowledged is true, but the 
acknowledgment is not practical, it is merely theoretical. 



214 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



"While a high respect is had for the man of letters, he 
does not command that symjpatTiy which should be ac- 
corded him. The great singer or actor receives far more 
at the hands of society than the profound philosopher 
or the elegant essayist. People of all ranks are bent 
upon attaining pleasure with the least possible intellec- 
tual exertion. Libraries are little patronized ; public 
amusements of all sorts meet with unbounded success. 

Another glaring defect of a certain part of society is 
found in a desire for notoriety, even if purchased at the 
expense of good taste. This feeling is one hardly de- 
serving the name of ambition, for ambition has ever a 
laudable object in view, while this purposes to itself no 
more than merely having one's name coupled with some 
eccentric freak, or being pitied as the victim oi outre 
tastes in dress or manner. It has resulted from the 
thoughtless admission of very young persons into terms 
of social equality, and will doubtless be corrected as these 
grow mature or pass over the stage, and admit a new 
group to the places they have just yielded up. 

The first of these defects is by far the worst in its 
general tendencies ; for it reduces the educational stand- 
ard, causing daughters to be educated merely with a 
view to shine in society, and leading young men to es- 
chew pursuits which they find do not advantage them 
with their daily companions. It is in society that the 
young man first fee^ s the promptings of ambition ; and 
if excellence in the Redowa or the Mazourka gain for 
him more admiration than skill with the pen or the pal- 
let ; if genius in ball-room prattle make him more friends 
than learning or philosophy, it is easy to see that tlu> 



HISTORY OF LODISVILLE. 215 



Redowa and the ball-room will carry the day. Nor, on 
the other hand, can it be doubted that if young ladies 
were so educated as to show their appreciation of useful 
talent ; if their tastes would lead them to smile on the 
endeavor of merit, and to frown on him who had neg- 
lected the graces of the mind to bestow his time and at- 
tention on those of the person, a very great social change 
would ensue. Men would then have a proper point for 
their ambition to aim at ; the parlor or the ball-room 
would become a place of real and rational enjoyment, 
and society would take a rank far above that held by the 
ballet girls and singers of the conservatoire. 

But society here has its virtues as well as its defects. 
It is singularly free from absolute vice of all sorts. It 
discourages gaming, drunkenness and sensuality ; its 
prevailing tone is virtuous and moral ; and, while peo- 
ple are hedged in by few conventionalities, yet a char- 
acter for respectability is imperatively demanded from 
all who knock at its portals for admission. No society 
could be more agreeable to the stranger than that of 
[Louisville. Its unbounded hospitality, and generous, 
I confiding frankness are characteristics which are to him 
la scveen against any minor defects. 
j It is not to be argued from anything which has been 
1 previously said that this city can boast of no prominent 
lintellectual men. On the contrary few cities of corres- 
jponding size in the country can show as many widely 
(known and respected names connected with the world of 
(letters. There are now living in Louisville eighteen 
lauthors who have each contributed one or more success- 
'ful volumes to the literature of the day. But author- 



216 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



ship and intellectual exertion, like business or physical 
labor, seems to form no part of the every clay lil\3 of 
society. 

The next subject which presents itself as connected 
with the social review of the city is a glance at the reli- 
gious statistics of Louisville. This is offered to the 
reader in the following 

TABLE OF CHURCHES. 



CHURCHES. 


c 
_o 

S 

bi 
c 
o 

5 

3 

17 

5 

4 
1 

1 
2 
1 
1 
4 
2 


c 

'c 

p 
E 

e 

o 
O 


Number in 
Congregation. 
(Atten(lance.) 


Church Accom- 
modations for 


Value of 
Property. 




1,729 
431 

3.036 
913 

75 

410 
63 

70 
5,000 


2,200 

1.425 

5.900 

2,225 

1,200 

100 

200 

520 

240 

200 

5,000 

400 


2 650 


RO.OOO 




2 ISOJ 76,000 




8'.250 109.0(10 


Ppesbyterian 


3 300, 128:000 


German Evangelical 

" LuTHEilAN' 


2,150, 21,700 
100' 


" Reformed 


2001 2250 
950 18.000 
320^ 12,000 


Disciple 


Universalist 


500 8.000 


Roman Catholic 


3,540' 125,000 




400| 11.000 






Total 


46 


11,727 19,610 


24 510 -'^nn 9nn 






' 



The tasteful and elegant structures which many of 
these churches have erected are great additions to the 
beauty of the city. Those most worthy of note are the 
"Walnut Street Baptist, First Presbyterian, Catholic Ca- 
thedral, St. l*aul's (Episcopal) and the Synagogue ; the 
last mentioned of which is the most elegant building in 
the city, although it is probably less expensive than 
either of the others. The pulpit of Louisville is emi- 
nently well supplied. Some of the most distinguislied 
divines of tlic country are among its members; and few. 



HISTOET OF LOUISVILLE. 217 



if any, of the clergy are men whose talents do not rank 
above mediocrity. 

Beside the churches above mentioned, Louisville has 
also many beautiful public and private buildings. The 
city is perhaps more thoroughly classified and better 
an-anged, both for business and for comfortable residence, 
than any other western place. The wholesale business 
of the city is entirely confined to Main Street, which 
is more than four miles long, is perfectly straight, and 
is built up on either side with good substantial brick 
buildings for more than half its entire length. The 
stores, taken as a whole, are the largest and finest ware- 
houses anywhere to be seen; having fronts of from twen- 
ty to thirty feet and running back from one hundred and 
ten to two hundred feet, and three to five stories in 
height. The houses thus referred to occupy the most 
central part of the business street and extend from First 
to Sixth cross streets, a distance of 5,040 feet in a direct 
line. On the north side of Main Street, throughout this 
whole extent, there are but two retail stores of any kind, 
and even these only sell their goods at retail because 
they are enabled to do so without interference with their 
wholesale trade. On the south side of the same street 
are about twenty of the fashionable shops side by side 
with many of the largest wholesale houses. Market 
Street is exclusively devoted to the retail business. It 
is on this street that the principal small transactions in 
country produce are made. With the exception of the 
squares bounded by Third and Fifth Streets, where most 
of the retail dry-goods business is done, the entire ex- 
tent of this street is given up to the retail grocers, pro- 



218 HI3T0EY OF LOUISVILLE, 



vision dealers and clothiers. Jefferson is recently be- 
ginning to be used as a fashionable street for the retail- 
ers, but yet contains many handsome residences. The 
streets south of Jefferson are all entirely occupied with 
dwelling houses. No business is done on any of them 
except an occasional family grocery or drug store. The 
fashionable shops are fitted up in a style of unexampled 
magnificence and contain the most beautiful products of 
human ingenuity. No city in the Union is better sup- 
plied with or finds more ready sale for the finest class of 
articles of every description than Louisville. The city 
south of Jefierson Street is very beautiful. The streets 
are lined on either side with large and elegant shade 
trees, the houses are all provided with little green yards 
in front, and are cleanly kept, presenting a graceful and 
home-like appearance. An impression of elegant ease 
every where characterizes this part of the city. The 
houses seem to be more the places for retirement, com- 
fort and enjoyment than, as is customary in most cities, 
either the ostentatious discomforts of display, or the hot, 
confined residences of those whose life of case is sacri- 
ficed to the pursuit of gain. There is little appearance 
of poverty and little display of wealth ; every house 
seems the abode of modest competence that knows how 
to enjoy a little with content, cureless of producing a 
display of wealth to feast the eyes of a passing idler. 
Even the more ambitious residences on Chestnut and 
Broadway Streets are constructed rather for the comfort 
of the inmates than to produce an impression on the 
stranger. This latter is the most beautiful street in the 
city. It is one hundred and twenty feet in width ironi 



HISTPEY OF LOUISVILLE. 219 



front to front and is perfectly straight. The side-walks 
ai'e twenty-five feet wide. The view np and down this 
street is extended and beantiful. It is destined to be- 
come the fashionable street for residence. Already many 
beantiful buildings are being erected upon it and the 
former less elegant houses are 1 eing removed to more 
remote situations. 

The subject of Public Education comes now to claim 
its share of consideration. The free school system is 
the same in its outline here as in other cities. The city 
schools are under the direction of a Board of trustees, 
who are elected by the people, and are open to all those 
persons who are not able to pay for the tuition of their 
wards ; children of all ages and of both sexes are placed 
under the care of competent instructors, and educated in 
all the ordinary branches of learning without any charge 
to the pupil. The sexes are kept separate and male and 
female teachers are employed. The standard of study is 
as high as in other unclassical schools, and every pupil 
has equal advantages of improvement. A high school 
is about to be established where all the branches of study 
usually employed in colleges will be taught to those pu- 
pils who have successfully passed through the lower 
schools, also without any charge. By this magnificent 
educational scheme, the children even of the poorest and 
humblest member of society are afibrded all the advan- 
tages which the wealthiest person could purchase. The 
attendance at the public schools of Louisville has not 
been so large as it should have been; firstly, because 
there are comparatively few parents who are not able to 
pay for the tuition of their children; and secondly, be- 



220 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

cause of a foolish pride which prevents parents from 
accepting this education as a gratuit3^ The number of 
children taught in private schools as compared with 
those who embrace the free school privileges show that 
these reasons have immense weight with the people. It 
is probable, however, that the opening of the new high 
school will bring about a change in this regard. The 
advantages which will then be ofl'ered to the pupil will 
be so great as to overcome, in a great measure, the ab- 
surd prejudices which have existed in the city against the 
common school. There are twenty-four free schools in 
the city, having thirty-one female and twenty-five male 
teachers, whose salaries range from two hundred and 
fifty to seven hundred dollars. The number of pupils 
entered for the year reaches about three thousand, six 
hundred and fiftv, while the number in attendance does 
not exceed one thousand, eight hundred and fifty. This 
affords an average of only thirty-three pupils to each 
teacher; so that all the pupils are able to receive every 
requisite attention. 

The city also has control of a Medical and of a Law 
school, which are recognized as departments of the Louis- 
ville University. The first of these is one of the most 
distinguished schools of its class in the United States. 
Something has been said of its history in a previous part 
of this volume. Three thousand, eight hundred and 
sixty-one young men have been attendants on this school 
since its commencement. The names of its Professors 
are well known in the medical world and afford a sure 
guarantee for its position. They are as follows : 

Charles W. Short, M. D., Emeritus Professor of Ma- 
teria Medica and Medical Botany. 



HISTOBY OF LOUISVILLE. 221 



*Jedediah Cobb, M. D., Professor of Descriptive and 
Suro-ical Anatomv. 

Lunsford P. Yandell, M. D., Professor of Physiology 
and Pathalogical Anatomv. 

Samuel D. Gross, M. D., Professor of the Principles 
and Practice of Surgery. 

Henry Miller, M. D., Professor of Obstetric Medicine, 

Lewis Rogers, M. D., Professor of Materia Medica 
and Therapeutics. 

Benjamin Silliman, Jr., M. D., Professor of Medical 
Chemistry and Toxicology. 

*Daniel Drake, M. D., Professor of the Theory and 
Practice of Medicine. 

T. G. Richardson, M. D., Demonstrator of Anatomy. 

The venerated name of Charles Caldwell, M. D. , 
was also, for a long time, associated with this school, 
and much of its earlier success is attributable to his 
exertion. 

The law department of the University has been in ac- 
tive operation only since the winter of 1847. It has, 
however, obtained a wide spread and deservedly great 
reputation as a school. The number of pupils educated 
in this department since its commencement is one hun- 
dred and ninety-six. 

The Professors of the Law Department of the LTniver- 
sity are as follows : 

Hon. Henry Pirtle, L. L, D., Professor of Constitu- 
tional Law, Equity and Commercial Law. 

Hon. Wm. F. Bullock, Professor of the Law of Real 



*These gentlemen having recently resigned, the chairs so vacated are now 
occupied by Drs. Palmer and Austin Flint, of Ruffalo, N. Y. 



222 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Property and of the Practice of Law, including Plead- 
ing and Evidence. 

Hon. James Pryor, Professor of the History and Sci- 
ence of Law, including the Common Law and Interna- 
tional Law. 

The prospects of this school for the ensuing year are 
more flattering than they have ever been. The distin- 
guished gentlemen who are at the head of this institu- 
tion have reason to congratulate themselves as well on 
their past success as on their brilliant prospects for the 
future. 

Besides these two schools under the immediate control 
of the city, the Medical Department of the Masonic 
University of Kentucky is also located here. This 
school has been in operation for a very short time, hav- 
ing been organized in 1850, but its claims seem already 
to be recognized throughout the West. The institution 
opened with a class of 103 young gentlemen, which 
number was increased in the second year of its existence 
to 110. With so auspicious a commencement, and un- 
der the direction of its distinguished faculty, there seems 
to be no reason why it should not soon equal in point 
of numbers and utility the other and older college. The 
advantages of Louisville over other western cities as a 
location for medical schools does not need any further 
notice than these statistics will afibrd. What has al- 
ready been accomplished by these institutions will es- 
tablish its advantages with the reader more fully than 
any deliberate reasoning covdd do. The faculty of the 
Kentucky School of Medicine is composed of the fol- 
lowing gentlemen : 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 223 



Benj. W. Dudley, M. D., Emeritus rrofessor of An- 
atomy and Surgeiy. 

Kobert Peter, M. D., Professor of Chemistry and 
Toxicology. 

Thos. D, Mitchell, Professor of Theory and Practice 
of Medicine. 

Joshua B. Flint, M. D., Professor of Principles and 
Practice of Surgery. 

James M. Bush, M. D., and Etlielbert L. Dudley, M. 
D., Professors of Special and Surgical Anatomy and 
Operative Surgery. 

Henry M. Bullitt, M. D., Professor of Physiology 
and Pathology. 
Practice of Medicine. 

Llewellyn Powell, M. D., Professor of Obstetrics and 
Diseases of Women and Children. 

Erasmus D. Force, M. D., Professor of Materia Med- 
ica and Clinical Medicine. 

David Cummings, M. D., Demonstrator of Anatomy. 

St, Aloysius college, under the care of the Jesuits, is 
an academical institution of some celebrity. It has six 
professors and several tutors. The Kentucky Institu- 
tion for the Education of the Blind is also located here. 
This noble monument of philanthropy has been the 
means of much good to the class for whom it was in- 
tended. It has had an average attendance of about 
twenty pupils. The course of instruction is ample and 
the results have been in the highest degree creditable to 
the teachers. The proJBciency of many of the pupils is 
truly wonderful ; and their aptitude in learning many 
of the branches taught them, more especially that great 



224 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLK. 

solace of the blind, music, is everywhere noted, • They 
are also instructed in various kinds of handicraft, by 
v^hich they are enabled to earn an honorable support 
after leaving the school. The price of board and tuition 
for those who are able to pay is only one hundred dollars 
per annum; while indigent children, resident in the 
State, are educated gratuitously. The spacious building 
erected for the use of this school was recently destroyed 
by fire, but will be speedily rebuilt on a more favorable 
site and in a better manner than before. 

Beside the schools above mentioned there are a great 
number of private schools of various grades of excellence. 
Among these the Young Ladies' Schools of Bishop 
Smith and of Pkof. Noble Butlek are perhaps the most 
widely known. They offer advantages for the education 
of young ladies which are not surpassed in any city. 
Indeed the educational opportunities afforded by the 
many excellent public and private schools of Louisville 
are in the highest degree creditable to the city and have 
attracted and still continue to attract to it many families 
from distant parts of the country. To those who know 
how properly to estimate the value of educational privi- 
leges, the training of their children is an all-important 
consideration ; and, as nothing can supply the want of 
parental care, it is not uncommon for families to seek as 
a residence those places which at once possess great fa- 
cilities for instruction, and are free from the dangers of 
ill-health. Louisville has both these advantages, and 
hence this city owes to these facts much of her best pop- 
ulation. 

The healthiness of Louisville is everywhere a subject 



HISTORY 'of LOUISVILLE. 22^ 



of remark. Its past reputation for insalubrity is long 
since forgotten, and its singular exemption from those 
epidemic diseases whose ravages have been so terrible 
in other places, have gained for it a very enviable dis- 
tinction among cities. The following recent report of 
the Committee on Public Health of the Louisville Med- 
ical Society will tend still further to confirm what has just 
been said: "Since the years 1822 and 1823," says this 
document, "the endemic fevers of summer and autumn 
have become gradually less frequent, until within the 
last live or six years tliey have almost ceased to prevail, 
and those months are now as free from disease as those of 
any part of the year. Typhoid fever is a rare affection 
here, and a majority of the cases seen occur in persons 
recently from flie country. Some physicians residing 
in the interior of this State see more of the disease than 
comes under the joint observation of all the practitioners 
of the city, if we exclude those treated in the Hospital. 

"Tubercular disease, particularly pulmonary con- 
sumption, is not so much seen as in the interior of 
Kentucky. Our exemption from pulmonary consump- 
tion is remarkable, and it would be a matter of much 
interest if a registration could be made of all the deaths 
from it, so that we could compare them with those of 
other places. 

" For the truth of the remarks as to the extent and fre- 
quency of the diseases enumerated we rely solely upon 
what we have observed ourselves, and upon what we 
have verbally gathered from our profcsssional friends. 

"This exemption of Louisville from disease, can be 
accounted for in no other way tlian from its natural sit- 



226 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



nation, end from what has been done in grading, in 
bnilding, and in laying ofi* the streets. 

"Louisville is situated on an open plain, where the 
wind has access from every direction; upon a sandy soil, 
which readily absorbs the water that falls upon it; sus- 
ceptible of adequate drainings; supplied bountifully ^^'ith 
pure lime stone water, which is filtered through a depth 
of thirty or forty feet of sand; its streets are wide and 
laid off at right angles — north and south, east and west 
— irivins: the freest ventilation; and the buildings com- 
pact, comfortable, and generally so constructed as to bo 
dry and to admit freely the fresh air. It is situated upon 
the border of the beautiful Ohio, and environed by one 
of the richest agricultural districts in the world, sup- 
plying it with abundance of food, and all the comforts 
and luxuries of life. It must, under the guidance of 
science and wise legislation, become, if it is not already, 
one of the healthiest cities in the world. Its proximity 
to the rapids of the Ohio may add to its salubrity, and 
it is certain that tlie evening breezes wafted over them, 
produce an exhilarating effect, beyond what is derived 
from the perpetual music of the roar of the falls." 

It may be proper to add the following table of the 
comparative statistics of annual mortality of the resi- 
dent population as ascertained from official sources. 

In Louisville the deaths arc one to 50, 

Philadelphia do do 3(3. 

New York do do 37. 

Boston , do do 38, 

Cinciuuati do do 35. 

Niiples d ) do 28. 

Paris do do 33. 

Loiulou ,do do 39. 

Glasgow do do 44. 



HISTOEY OF LOUISVILLE. 227 



The Market Houses of Louisville, five in number 
and all located upon Market Street, are profusely supplied 
with every production of this latitude. Markets are held 
every day, and prices are much lower than in Eastern 
cities. The Kentucky beef and pork which is every- 
where so celebrated, is here found in its true perfection . 
The vegetables and fruits peculiar to this climate, are 
also offered in excellent order and in great abundance. 
Irish and sweet potatoes, green peas, corn, cucumbers, 
lettuce, radishes, asparagus, celery, salsafie, pie plant, 
melons, peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, and many 
other vegetables and fruits are plentifully supplied. 
The Irish potato is sold at from twenty-five to forty 
cents per bushel, green peas command about twenty 
cents per peck, strawberries fifty cents per gallon. The 
choice pieces of beef can be had at from six to eight 
cents per pound, less desirable pieces bring three and 
four cents. Pork is bought at about five cents per 
I pound. Turkies bring fifty to seventy-five cents each. 
I Spring chickens, from seventy-five to one dollar and 
fifty cents per dozen. Ducks, fifteen to twexty-five cents 
each. Eggs are sold at four to eight cents per dozen. 
jButter, fifteen to twenty cents per pound. The lamb 
land mutton sold in this market, cannot be surpassed in 
jpoint of quality in the United States. The extreme fer- 
Itility of the country around Louisville, and its perfect 
adaptation to the wants of the gardener and the stock- 
raiser, must always give to this city the advantage of an 
excellent and cheap provision market. 

The following is a list of all the publications issued 
ifr<>T7i tiii^: citv: 



228 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Journal Daily and Weekly AVhig. 

Courier " " " 

Times " " Democrat. 

Democrat " " " 

Beobachter am Ohio. . ." " " 

Louisville Anzeiger. . . ." " " 

Union Daily Neutral. 

Bulletin " " 

Sunday Varieties Weeekly " 

Presbyterian Herald " Presbyterian. 

Western Recorder '■' Baptist. 

Watchman and Evangelist. . ." Cunib. Presby . 

Christian Advocate " Methodist, 

Kentucky New Era. . . .Semi-Monthly Temperance. 

Christian Repository Monthly Baptist. 

Indian Advocate " '• 

Bible Advocate " , Neutral, 

Theological Medium " Cumb. Presby. 

Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery. . . .Monthly. 
Transylvania Medical Journal " 

This review of the social statistics of Louisville will be 
concluded with a notice of the number of persons engag- 
ed in the various avocations of life, as shows in the 
following : 



Agents 58 

Agricultui'al Implement Makers. .5 

Apothecaries 113 

Architects 6 

Artificial Flower Makers 2 

Artists ...10 

Auctioneers 26 

Barbers 198 

Bakers 'Mi 

Bar Keepers 23 L 

Basket Makers 15 

Bellows Makers 5 

Blind Makers 5 

Blacking IMakers 4 

Blacksmiths 251 

Bird Stuffers 2 

Brush Makers 15 

Brokers 28 



Bricklayers 265 

Brick Makers 45 

Brewers 37 

Bristle Cleaners. ... 4 

Book Sellers 18 

Boot and Shoe Dealers 58 

Book Binders 102 

Butchers 201 

Candle and Soap Makers 38 

Caulkers 18 

Carpet Weavers 8 

Carvers 13 

Cartmen 452 

Carpenters 874 

Camphine ^lakers 4 

Cabinet MaUcrs 275 

Cement Maker 1 

Clerks 1130 



HISTORY OK LOUISVILTE. 



229 



Clothing Dealers 57 

Cigar Makers 159 

Composition Roofers 2 

Cotlou Packers 22 

Cotton Caulk Makers 3 

Collectors 22 

Confectionaries 96 

Coach Makers 78 

Cooj^crs 116 

Comb Makers 3 

Dauciut!; Teachers 10 

Daguerreotypists 23 

Dentists 13 

Distiller 1 

Doctors 162 

Druggists 75 

Dry Goods Dealers 275 

Dvers 11 

Editors.. 18 

Edge Tool Makers II 

I Egg Packers 4 

, Engravers 15 

' Engineers 139 

Farmers 17 

I Peed Dealers 15 

iPishermen 10 

IFile Cutters 3 

jFoundrymen 369 

'Fringe Makers 4 

:;Gardeuers Si 

Gentlemen 36 

Gilders 8 

: Glass Setters 3 

jGlass Cutters .2 

Glass Staiuer 1 

Glass Blowers 21 

Glnc Makers 2 

Crnrers 504 



•ers . . . 
(iiirigcrs. . . 
rii!r,r>miths. 
Hiilters. .. 
II i.lcnien. . 



. .3 
..17 
.117 

..95 



ilvvare Dealers 34 

■ksters 45 

■e Makers 2 

Dealers 6 

Makers 6 

ranee Agencies 27 

Safe Maker 1 

p Makers 2 

lorers 1920 

11 



Last Makers 3 

Leather Finders 16 

Lawyers 125 

Liquor Dealers 45 

Locksmiths 47 

Livery Keepers 43 

Lightning Rod Maker 1 

Lathe Makers 2 

Match Makers 12 

Machinists 33 

Marble Cutters 21 

Merchants 85 

Millers 37 

Milliners 186 

Milkmen 8 

Millwrights 17 

Midwives 23 

Music Dealers 9 

Music Teachers 30 

Music Publishers .3 

No Occupation 127 

Oil Cloth Makers 15 

Oyster Brokers 5 

Organ Builders 4 

Oil Stone Makers 10 

Opticians 2 

Oil Makers 27 

Paper Makers 22 

Paper Bos Makers 8 

Painters 267 

Pedlars 47 

Plasterers 94 

Plane Makers 26 

Planing Mill and Lumbermen.. .33 

Piano Makers 36 

Printers 201 

Paper Hangers 48 

Potters 17 

Professors 26 

Pnmp Makers 16 

Pickle Dealer 1 

Plumbers 9 

Pork Packers 25 

Preachers 57 

Presidents Company 45 

Policemen 32 

Queens ware Dealers 26 

Raih'oad Car Makers 6 

ilefrigerator Makers 6 

River Men 330 

Rope Makers 65 



230 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Saddlers 195 

Seraptresses 311 

Scale Makers 7 

Silver Platers 5 

Silversmiths 63 

Shoemakers 356 

Ship Carpenters 133 

Soda Makers 8 

Speculators 43 

Starch Makers 10 

Stercotypers 3 

Stone Cutters 2l9 

Stocking Weavers 2 

Surveyors 13 

Students 638 

Saw Millers 8 

Stucco Workers 4 

Stove Makers 4 

Sail Makers 2 

Surgical Instrument Makers 4 



Tailors 375 

Tanners 42 

Tavern keepers 275 

Teachers 67 

Telescopic Instrument Makers 1 

Tinners 115 

Turners 22 

Tobacconists 61 

Trunk Makers 35 

Upholsterers 29 

Umbrella Makers 5 

Variety Dealers 46 

Vinegar Makers 8 

Wig Makers 3 

Wire Workers 12 

Wagon Makers 144 

Whip Makers 3 

Wood and Coal Dealers 30 

White Lead Makers 2 

Wall Paper Makers 1 



The commercial and manufacturing statistics of Lou- 
isville come next to be considered. And it is well to 
state here, however discreditable such statement may be 
to the city, that no business organization of any kind 
has ever been attempted and no statistical tables have 
ever been kept either by the city government, by societies 
or individuals. The only means left to the statistician, 
therefore, have been the tedious and often incomplete 
process of personal application and investigation. The 
statistics v^^hich are here offered to the reader are derived 
from the best authority and are believed to be correct, 
but are necessarily far less complete than could haw 
been wished. This outline will, however, serve to give 
some idea of the general business character of the city. 

All departments of business in Louisville are tran^ 
acted upon a very large scale. It is perhaps the great 
est fault in the commercial character of the city thai, 
everything is conducted upon too hirge a scale. There 



HISTOKY OF LOUlSVlLLli,. 



•i81 



18, to use a painter's phrase, too much of outline and 
too little in detail. The wealth and importance of cities 
depends less upon the great than upon the small dealers 
and manufacturers ; these latter are content with doing 
each a small and careful business which may gradually 
rise to be of vast extent, and which will thus really im- 
prove and profit the city more than the mighty efforts of 
the large dealer. In Louisville, however, none are con- 
tented to do a little business. The feeling seems to ex- 
ist that mercantile or manufacturing pursuits are respec- 
table just in proportion to the capital employed in them, 
and the desire of every one seems to be to attain a high 
point of respectability. Louisville greatly lacks that 
class of inhabitants, so useful to a city, who are content 
to attain wealth by careful and laborious means, who 
can commence with the basket of apples and gradually 
work up to the proud proprietorship of extensive ware- 
houses or factories. There is everywhere prevalent 
among those who should seek to rise gradually, a desire 
to place themselves at once in a rank with the largest 
dealers. It is the small dealer and the small manufac- 
turer, who is content to rise by his own efforts, unaided 
by factitious means of any sort, who is needed here. 
There is abundant room and abundant work for such, 
their advent is courted ; and, if they will avoid the char- 
acteristic desire for extensive business relations and be 
content to seek their fortunes by pains- taking progress, 
their success is infallibly certain. 

It has already been remarked that tlie aggregate amount 
of sales in any one department of business divided by 
the number of houses engaged in that business would 



232 HISTOftY OF L0UI8VILLK. 



show a very large result. In this statement reference 
is had only to those exclusively wholesale houses, whose 
sales are made to dealers. No exclusively retail houses 
of any sort are placed in the enumeration, though the 
sales of many of the retail stores would fully equal, if 
indeed they did not exceed, some of the wholesale 
houses. The difficulty of reaching any proper account 
of the retail business will, however, prevent any notice 
being taken of it in this volume. 

Louisville contains twenty-five exclusively wholesale 
Dry Goods houses, whose sales are made only to dealers 
and whose market reaches from ISTorthern Louisiana to 
Northern Kentucky and embraces a large part of the 
States of Kentucky, Lidiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Illi- 
nois, Mississippi and Arkansas. The aggregate amount 
of annual sales by these houses is five million^ eight 
kimdred and fifty-three thousand (5,853,000) dollars^ 
or an average of two hundred and thirty-fouT thou- 
sand (234,000) dollars to each house. The sales of 
three of the largest of these houses amount in the aggre- 
gate to one million^ seven hundred and eighty -nine 
thousand (1,789,000) dollars. Neither this statement 
nor those which follow include any auction houses. 

In Boots & Shoes, the sales of the eight houses of 
the above description reach one million.^ one hundred 
and eighty-four thousand (1,184,000) dollars^ or one 
hundred smd forty-eight thousand (14:8,000) dollars 
to each house. The sales of the three largest houses in 
this business reach six hundred and thirty thousand 
(630,000) dollars. 

The aggregate amount of annual sales by eight houses 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 233 

ill Drugs, &c., is one inilUon^ one hundred and tioeQi- 
ty-three thousand (1,123,000) dollars^ or one hundred 
and forty thousand^ three hundred and seve7ity-five 
(140,375) dollars to each house; and the sales of the 
three largest houses amount to seven hundred 2a\dififty- 
tJwee thousand (753,000) dollars. 

The sales of Hardware by nine houses amount an- 
nually to five hundred and ninety thousand (590,000) 
dollars^ being an average of sixty-five thousand, five 
hundred and fifty fi^ve (65,555) dollars to each house. 

The sales of Saddlery reach nine hundred and 
eighty thousand (980,000) dollars, of which nearly 
one-half are of domestic manufacture. 

The sales of Hats and Caps, necessarily including 
sales at retail, amount to six hundred and eigJity-three 
thousand (683,000) dollars. 

The sales of Queensware, less reliably taken, reach two 
hundred and sixty five thousand (265,000) dollars. 

There are thirty-nine wholesale Grocery houses, 
whose aggregate sales reach ten millions, six hundred 
and twenty-three thousand, four hundred (10,623,- 
400) dollars, which gives an average of tioo hundred 
and seventy-tioo thousand, four hundred (272,400) 
dollars to each house. A brief statement of some of 
the principal annual imports in the Grocery line will 
perhaps give a better idea of this business. The figures 
refer to the year 1850 : 



Louisiaua Sugar 15,615 hhds. 

Refined " 10,100 p'ckgB. 

Molasses 17,500 bbls. 

Coffee 42.500 bags. 

Rice 1 .275 tierces. 

Cottou Yarns 17,925 bagj. 



Cheese 25,250 boxes. 

Flour 80,650 bbls. 

Bagging 70,160 pieces. 

Rope 65,350 coils. 

Salt, Kanawha 110,250 bbls. 

" Turk's Island. . .50,525 bags. 



234 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



The following Recapitulatory Table will enable the 
reader to see at a glance all that has just been stated : 



Description of Business. 



Jl'ABLE. 

"T" No^of 
Houses. 



Groceries I 39 

Dry Goods ; 25 

Boots and Shoes 1 8 

Drugs ! 8 

Hardware | 9 

Queensware 6 

Hats, Furs, &c. 8_ 

Total .~77. : ... I Im 



Aggregate An- 
nual Sales. 



.$1U,623,400 

5,853,000 

1,184,000 

1,123.000 

590 000 

265.000 

G83 ,000 

$20,321,400" 



Average Sales to 
each house. 



$272,400 

234,000 

148 000, 

140.375 

65 555 

44 166 

85 375 

$197 295 



It will be seen that these tables do not include many 
of the largest departments of business. Beside the 
houses already mentioned are many commission houses, 
whose sales in cotton, tobacco, rope, bagging-, hemp, 
provisions &c., would very greatly increase the amounts 
above stated. The impossibility of procuring accurate 
and reliable statistics of the amount of sales by these 
houses will prevent any attempt to fix the exact ratio of 
their business. The "Western reader who is at all con- 
nected with commerce does not, however, need to be told 
that the trade in tliesc articles in Louisville is of im- 
mense extent. The great superiority of this city as a 
market for hemp and its products, bagging and rope, is 
so obvious, so well known and so widely acknowledged, 
that any dissertation upon these merits is unnecessary 

here. 

As a Tobacco Makket, Louisville possesses advan- 
tages which are not afforded by any other Western or 
Southern city. The rapid an<l healthful increase in the 
receipts and sales of this article during the last few years 
is of itself sufficient evidence of this fact. Even as early 
as the year 1800 the ]-)rospects of the city in tlii;^ regard. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 235 



tliongli in tliG distant future, were looked upon as highly 
flattering. A Mr. Campbell had at that time a tobacco 
ware-house, which was situated opposite Corn Island. 
This ware- house was suppressed by the legislature in 
1815, and a new one ordered to be erected at "the mouth 
of Beargrass." The building thus directed was located 
on Pearl Street, about one hundred feet from Main, and 
the salary of the Inspector was fixed at £25, currency, 
per annum. This inspector resided at some distance 
from the city, and when a sufiicient quantity of tobacco 
had been collected at the ware-house to make it an ob- 
ject, he was sent for to come and perform his duties. 
The entire crop did not then exceed 500 hogsheads. 
There are at present in the city three large tobacco ware- 
houses, all receiving and selling daily immense quanti- 
ties of this article. Speculators are attracted to tliis 
market from great distances and the receipts are contin- 
nally upon the increase. The following table of receipts 
since 1837 will show how steadily and seen rely this in- 
crease has been eflected : 



1837 2.133 hhds. 

1838 2,783 '■" 

1839* 1,295 " 

1840 3..113 " 

1841 4,031 " 

1842 5,131 •' 

1843 5,424 " 

18-14 



1845 8,454 liluls. 

1846 9,700 " 

1847 7,070 - 

1848 4.937 " 

1849 8,906 - 

1850 7,155 " 

1851 11,300 " 

1852 16,176 " 



These figures are of themselves a strong argument in 
favor of this city as a market for tobacco. The reasons 

* "In this year, a line of 46 hhds broiighl $3 390 84, averaging $73 73 
per hhd. The crop was short, and speculation ran high. Dealers in the ar- 
ticle were heavy Insers. " — Birpiioi-ij fnr 1H'15. 



2P»G HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

Ibr the steady and rapid increase in the receipts of this 
article, as well as for the opinion that this is the best 
market for tobacco in the United States, are very simple, 
very convincing and very easily stated. In the first 
place, it is a fact well known to all tobacco dealers, that 
in the three divisions of Kentucky — to-wit : the North- 
ern, Southern and Middle — a variety of leaf, suitable to 
all the purposes of the manufacturer, is grown. In no 
other State is so great and so complete a variety of leaf 
produced. The cigar maker, the lump manufacturer 
and the stemmer all find in this State the article just 
suited to their various purposes. These tobaccos all 
naturally find their way to Louisville as a market, and, 
of a necessary consequence, attract buyers to this place. 
Beside this advantage, another important point is gained 
in the presence of the numerous manufacturers of to- 
bacco in Louisville. These persons, having to compete 
with the established markets of older States, offer large 
prices to the planter and so attract here great q uantities 
of the article. It is well known that really fiue tobacco, 
for manufacturing purposes, has brought and wiU always 
command here as high rates as can be had for it at any 
other point in the United States. The number of man- 
ufacturers is rapidly increasing, the character of the I 
article which they produce is steadily growing into i 
favor, and the market for its sale is enlarging every day, ; 
so that planters cannot be so blinded to their interests as 
to seek foreign markets for an article which wiU pay 
them so handsomely at their own doors. Again : the 
facilities for the shipment of the article from this point 
to the various Eastern markets arc recently so increased 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 23'i 



that an entirely new demand has sprung up for Louis- 
ville tobacco. Western New York, "Western Pennsyl- 
vania, Nortliern Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, all of 
which were formerly obliged to look to New York City 
for their supplies of this article, have recently turned 
their faces westwardly, for the simple reason that they 
can now get the same article at less rates of freight and 
without the former numerous and onerous commissions. 
Nor is this the only benefit procured to these purchasers 
in choosing this market. It is well known that, unless 
tobacco is in unusually excellent order, it is always se- 
riously injured by being confined on shipboard in its 
passage through the warm climate of the Gulf of Mexico 
and along the coast of the Southern States. And as 
Louisville is the only other prominent shipping point 
for the article, it has, of course, this great advantage 
over rival markets. The facts above enumerated indi- 
cate only the prominent and leading reasons for believing 
Louisville to be the best tobacco market in the Union. 
Many other advantages might be enumerated, but these, 
which are all acknowledged and have been demonstrated 
over and over again, are considered sufficient to estab- 
lish the proposition. However much Louisville has 
gained in regsrd to this article, there is yet much to 
gain. Her destiny is but beginning to be unfolded, and 
only a few years will elapse until the largest of the re- 
ceipts above quoted will appear quite insignificant and 
worthless beside the swollen columns of the statistician 
of a future period. 

The assertion that Louisville is destined very soon to 
become distinguished also as a Cotton Market may ex- 



238 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



cite some surprise among those who have not iiad their 
attention called to this matter. But that this is a fact 
can readily be shown to the most skeptical. The con- 
sumption of cotton in the West amounts to 35,000 bales, 
and heretofore this has constituted the entire demand of 
this section of the country. But the recent opening up 
of new means of communication with the Atlantic coast 
at the East has begun and will complete an entirely new 
state of aflairs in this regard. Let us look for a moment 
at the effect of these new facilities of transport. By the 
1st of January, 18.53, an uninterrupted communication 
with the Atlantic at the North will be efiected by the 
lake route, continuing from 1st of May to 1st of No- 
vember. At the same time the Jeffersonville Railroad 
will have established connection with other railroads 
reaching to New York. Beside all of which, the Bal- 
timore and Ohio Railroad will have been completed from 
Wheeling to Baltimore, from which point all descrip- 
tions of Western produce can reach Philadelphia and 
New York, either by railroad, or, more cheaply, by means 
of propellers, steamers and sail-vessels. The comple- 
tion of this latter road will be the signal for the estab- - 
1 ishment of a line of steam-packets from Louisville to 
Wheeling, another to Memphis, and yet another to 
Nashville. These lines are already established and 
merely wait the completion of the Baltimore and Ohio 
Railroad to go at once into operation. A line of packets 
to Tuscumbia and Florence is already in successful op- 
eration. The facts above stated are well known to the 
commvin i ty both East and West. It only remains, there- 
fore, to examine how they will atVcet Louisville as u 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 239 



market for cotton, i^ew Orleans, it cannot be denied, 
has heretofore been considered the only proper point of 
shipment for this article, but if both the seller and the 
buyer can be benefited by a change of markets, surely 
that change will ensue. New Orleans is certainly the 
natural depot for Southern cotton, but if the cotton raised 
in Alabama, Tennessee and North Mississippi, or that 
which finds its way to market down the Cumberland 
and Tennessee rivers, can be placed in Louisville at less 
rates of freight than would be charged to New Orleans, 
and thence can reach the Eastern markets in less time 
and at less rates than from that city, it is surely the in- 
terest of both seller and buyer to make Louisville their 
market. Now it is certain that from these points cotton 
will be carried to Louisville at one dollar per bale less 
than to New Orleans ; it is equally certain that insur- 
ance can be had via Louisville to New York at one-half 
the rates charged via New Orleans, and that freight, af- 
ter the 1st of January next, from this city onward, will 
be the same as from New Orleans ; beside which the 
time of transit will be thirty days less, thus saving no 
inconsiderate sum in interest. Again, the trade of 
North Alabama, Tennessee and North Mississippi with 
this city is ascertained to reach two and a half millions 
of dollars. To pay this debt seventy thousand bales of 
cotton, valued at seven cents per pound, would be re- 
quired. Here is presented another reason why this cot- 
ton should seek Louisville as its natural market. One 
of our most sagacious and enterprising merchants has 
recently returned from the East, where, with laudable 
energy, he had been presenting the claims of this market 



240 HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 

to Eastern buyers. And the result of this mission is, 
that relial3le arr; ngements have been made for buying 
whatever cotton may come to this market at New Or- 
leans quotations. It is perfectly safe then to predict 
from January of next year a spirited and regular demand 
for all the cotton which may be sent here. The 140,000 
bales produced in Tennessee, or finding its way to mar- 
ket from Tennessee river, will find ready sale in Louis- 
ville and at the regular New Orleans prices. Can it be 
doubted, in view of all these facts, that Louisville is 
entirely certain to attain prominence as a market for 
cotton. This has long been the natural market for the 
article, and only waited the completion of lines of con- 
nection with the East, which, now they are about to go 
into operation, must of necessity make it the first cot- 
ton market of the Western country. 

Louisville also deserves consideration as a market for 
pork. This market, though perhaps less in extent here 
than in some other Western cities, is steadily increasing 
in the amount of its operations and rapidly growing into 
favor with the dealers. In 1827 there were but two 
pork houses in the city ; one of which was owned by 
Patrick Maxcy and the other by Colmesnil and O'Beirne. 
It was then the custom to buy the hog in small lots from 
the farmers by means of agents who traveled through 
the State. These hogs so procured were concentrated 
at some point and corn was bought and fed to them un- 
til the time for slaughtering arrived, when they were 
driven to this city and here butcliered. The number of 
hogs killed by these two houses did not then exceed fif- 
teen thousand, while at the end of the pork s'^ason in 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 241 



1861, this amount had been increased to one hundred 
and ninety -five thousand, four hundred and fourteen. It 
is fidly calculated by the packers that this number will 
be exceeded ten per cent in the ensuing year. Both the 
farmer and the buyer have reasons for prefering this 
city as a pork market. The farmer, because it is not 
the custom here to "^ca/e" the hog — that is, to make a 
standard weight for which the market price is given, 
while all below that point are taken at reduced figures — 
and the buyer, because pork is here packed under the 
same roof where it is butchered. This last may be con- 
sidered a small inducement; but when it is remembered 
that where the butchering and packing are carried on by 
diflerent individuals and in different parts of the city, 
the hog is obHged to be transported at all seasons and 
in all states of weather from house to house at consid- 
erable labor and cost and with danger of damage to the 
meat, it will be found an item worthy the serious con- 
sideration of the buyer. The meat put up here is sur- 
passed in quality by none in the world, and when the 
facilities of transportation referred to in the above re- 
marks upon cotton are established, the growth of this 
city as a pork market will be yet more rapid than it has 
before been. There are at present eight large pork 
houses in the city. The importance of Louisville as a 
pork market is well enough known to need no further 
elaboration of its merits in these pages. 

The manufacturing interests of Louisville come now 
to claim their share of attention. And it is somewhat 
singular that, with the resources and capacity of this 
city as a place fur manufactures, tliere should be so little 



242 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 

to boast of in this regard. Of her commercial statistics, 
as has ah-eady been shown, Louisville has abundant 
cause to be proud, but she has at the same time reason 
to regret the little use which has heretofore been made 
of her immense advantages as a manufacturing point. 
It is not to be denied that there are many excellent man- 
ufacturing establishments in and around the city, but 
the number is greatly below what is needed and greatly 
disproportioned to the advantages ofiered here. There 
are many reasons why this city should hold prominent 
rank as a place for manufactures. The facilities in the 
way of water-power, the immense surface of level and 
highly productive country by which it is surrounded, 
the cheapness of rents and of building lots, and tlic ad- 
vantages for placing the manufactured article in market, 
are among the most prominent of these reasons. There 
is, perhaps, no city in the Union where similarly great 
inducements are offered to the judicious and enterprising 
ir.auufacturer. And yet the results of commercial en- 
terprise of other sorts have been so successful and so 
rapidly produced as to lead away from the manufactur- 
ing interests much capital which would otherwise have 
been invested in them. The brilliant success of any one 
department of trade in a city has usually led to precisely 
similar results as are alluded to here. Of this Cincin- 
nati furnishes a notable example. Her earliest success 
was effected by means of her manufactures, and persons 
seeking investment for their capital naturally gave it the 
direction which had already proved productive. ]j0u- 
isville, on the contrary, owing to her peculiar k">cation, 
found her earliest and most ]>r(.imising evidcncL'S of 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 243 



prosperity in commerce, and consequently all the capital 
seeking employment was naturally drawn into this chan- 
nel. And it is unfortunate for Louisville that this has 
been true, for however important commercial prosperity 
may be to a city, it is far inferior in point of utility and 
universal profit to the advantages conferred by successful 
manufactures. During the last four or five years this 
matter has begun to engage the attention of capitalists 
and a proper and healthful feeling is rapidly gaining 
ground in favor of this branch of trade. Many new 
factories have already sprung up, and several more are 
on the eve of establishment. The public mind is fully 
awakened to tlie necessity for building up and for en- 
couraging the products of home industiy, and the pro- 
ducer has taken new rank in public estimation. The 
prejudice which may once have existed against mechan- 
ical employments of all sorts is no longer felt, but the 
manufacturer and his employees arc held alike high in 
favor and in social rank. 

The following table of manufactures in Louisville is 
chiefly taken from the census report of 1850. Addi- 
tions have been made to the more important branches of 
manufacture as far as reliable data could be obtained, 
so as to enable the reader to have a comprehensive view 
of the subject up to the present time. It is believed 
that the figures in this table are under the actual 
amounts ; it is certain, at any rate, that they do not in 
any instance exceed the truth. A more extended and 
special notice of the principal manufacturing establish- 
ments of the city will be given in an appendix to this 
volume, to which all who feel an interest in the state of 
manufactures here are especially referred. 



244 IIISIOKV UK LOIJJSVILLK 

TABLE OF MANUFACTURES. 

Kind of Manufacture. No. of Factories. No. of hands. Annual product. 

Animal Charcoal 2 12 $15,000 

Awniugs and Tents 2 1'3 7,500 

Artificial Flowers 1 .3 6,000 

Bagging Factories 3 120 184,000 

Bakers !)6 332 469,200 

Bandboxes 3.... 9 3,800 

Baskets 3 7 5,400 

Bellows .2 7 15,000 

Blacking 3 12 7,500 

Blacksmiths 49 254 163,400 

Blinds, Venitian 3 12 14.200 

Blocks and Spars 2 12 7,500 

Bootmakers 63 302 375,100 

Brewers G 30 108,600 

Brashes 2 9 5,813 

Bricks 36 339 224 000 

Bristle Dressers 1 3 2,500 

Burr Stones 1 P 12,000 

Boiler Makers 4 30 64,200 

Candy 9 56 184 800 

Camphiue, &c 1 3 31,500 

Carpenters 144 916 1,027,600 

Cars, &c 1 100 

Carpet Weavers 2 .14 6 000 

Couch Makers 9 98 123.300 

Cotton and Wool 3 135 l73 500 

Clothing 45 1,157 941,500 

Composition lloofin:; 1 

Combs R 18 9.800 

Coopers 20 GO 66 800 

Cement 1 4 10.000 

Edge Tools 2 9 16 000 

Feed and Flour Mills 9 47 283,800 

Flooring and Saw Mills 14 190 420.200 

Fringes, Tassels. &c 1 6 8,700 

Furniture 25 44(1 638,000 

Foundries 15 930 1,392 200 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 245 



Kind of Manufacture. No. of Factories. No. of liands. Annual product. 

Glass Cutters. 1 3 |2 .'iOO 

Glue 2 6 ,5,000 

Gunsmiths 4 8 14,000 

Glass 1 50 50,000 

Hats 6 68 201 ,700 

Last Makers 1 2 2,500 

Lath Makers 1 4 5,000 

Lock Makers 6 38 37,400 

Leather Splitter 1 1 1 ,000 

Lithographers 2 9 20,000 

Lookiuu, Glass, &c 2 11 12,000 

Machinists* 2 5 6,200 

Marble Workers 4 41 35.000 

Mathematical List. Makers 1 3 6,500 

Mustard 2 13 21,000 

Musical lust. Makers .3 60 

Millinery 35 344 340,000 

Oil Cloth 2 12 11,500 

Oil Stones 1 6 22,900 

Oil, LarJ and Linseed 3 16 140,000 

Nd.l 1 2 3,000 

Paper Mill 1 36 113,000 

Plane 3 8 13,000 

Platform Scale 1 11 12,000 

Patent Medicines 24 127 467,400 

Printing Offices 12 201 214,000 

Plows 4 32 35,0(J0 

Perfumery 2 10 8,000 

Pottery 2 14 11,500 

Pork Houses 4 475 1,370,000 

Pumps 3 16 15,100 

Rope 11 1 66 ,'. . .460,000 

Saddlery 17 114 236,000 

Saddle Trees 1 7 7,500 

Soap and Candles 6 59 409,000 

Starch 1 8 20,000 



*" I\Iost of the machiuists are connected with the foundries. 



246 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Kiml of Manufacture. No. of Factories. No. of liands. Annual product. 

Steamboat Carpeuterst 4 75 $2:55, UO(t 

Stocking Weavers 1 10 5,000 

Silversmiths 4 IS 34,500 

Stucco 1 5 7,000 

Tobacco aud Segars 82 1,050 1,347 500 

Tiu, Copper, &c 17 87 122,300 

Tauners 9 64 176,000 

Trunks 3 27 29 .'jOO 

Turners j .4 8 11,600 

Upliolsterers 5 21 56,000 

White Lead 1 8 12,600 

Wigs 1 4 8,000 

Whips 1 2 1,500 

Wire Workers 2 12 12,500 

Wagous .20 , .144 184,800 

To this list may be added the following memoranda 
of steamboats for 1850. It has been found impossible 
to bring this list forward as far as 1852. In the former 
year there were employed on 53 steamboats, owned in 
Louisville, 1,903 hands. The amount of capital invest- 
ed in these boats was $1,293,300, and the annual pro- 
duct for freight and passage reached $2,549,200. 

f This does not include all steamboat builders. 

i Most of the turners are connected with various factories. 



CONCLUSION. 

In concluding this history it will be well to look back 
and examine the ratio of its progress for the last half 
century, as well in population as in pecuniary value. 
This may be done: first, in the following table showing 
the increase in numbers of every ten years; and second, 
in a tabular view of the assessment of real estate at the 
end of each similar term of years. The population of 
Louisville then, commencing with the year 1800, may 
be stated as follows : 

1800 600 I 1830 10,090 

1810 1,300 1840 21,000 

1820 4,000 1850 43,217 

1852 51,726 

It will be seen fi^om this table that the city has never 
shown as rapid an increase as has been effected in 
the last two years. This is the result chiefly of the im- 
pulse which has been given to Louisville by her action 
in reference to lines of railroad, and other facilities of 
communication with distant points, as well as of the fact 
that a new energy has been infused into the commercial 
circles, and more vigorous efforts have consequently 
been made to afford to this city that reputation as a com- 
mercial mart, which she has long deserved. 

Of the present population of Louisville, no less than 
18,000 are Germans, and this number is daily being 
augmented by arrivals from the fatherland. It would 



248 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



perliaps be no more than just to say that tliese foreigners 
form, as a body, one of the best classes of our popula- 
tion. They are a careful, pains-taking and industrious 
people, of quiet, unobtrusive and inoffensive manners; 
and are, in a majority of instances, men of some educa- 
tion and ability. The better class of this population are 
rapidly rising in public estimation, and while they are 
becoming in a measure identified with, the native citizens, 
and so Americanized, the influence of their philosophic 
habits of mind, of their thoughtfulness, and of their love 
of the beautiful in nature and in art, is gradually incor- 
porating itself into the social life of the city, and so ad- 
ding to each some of the advantages possessed by the 
other. The German character, in its higher developc- 
ments, displays many attributes which are wanting, in 
more senses than one to our native x^opulation. From 
the educated German, we may learn that enthusiastic 
love and reverence for the intellectual and for the beau- 
tiful in all its phases, whether of nature, of sentiment, 
or of art, which is inherent in his character, and which 
gives to life so much of its charm; while by us he is taught 
that practicality must be the basis of his philosophy, 
and that without a certain admixture of utilitarianism his 
sentiment is mawkish and unmanly, and his theories are 
idly speculative and ])uerile. Thus each class imbibes 
from the other what it most needs, and society reaps the 
benefits of the union. Tlie German population is also use- 
ful to the city in a political point of view. They serve 
as the "filling up" to the picture. As has been recently 
said: "The bulk of the population of every city, perhaps 
two out of three, arc small manufacturers or artisans of 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. "2-i:[) 

some description or other, and those dependent on them; 
of the sewers together of clothing, the makers of toys, 
confectionary, and jewelry, the compounders of materials 
used in medicine and the arts, the furnishers of the toilet, 
the parlor, and the kitchen, the fabricators of iron, wood, 
and stone into forms required by the uses or fancies of 
man. Think of the amount of our yearly purchases of 
Boston bonnets, New York caps, and Philadelphia shoes, 
and of the thousand, the innumerable articles that our re- 
tail and fancy dealers pick up in the lanes, alleys, and 
cellars of those cities, articles which were made for West- 
ern demand, for the very market of which this is the nat- 
ral, and ought to be the commercial center. To this 
kind of population we are to look for increase, these hand 
workers are to cover our vacant lots, and consume the 
products of our surrounding agriculturists; they come in 
silently, and go to work unnoticed; the grocer at the 
corner, the baker, and the brewer, build higher houses, 
and are men of more noise and note, and we forget that 
for every one of the latter tliere must be one hundred of 
the former," * 

It is precisely the class spoken of in the foregoing ex- 
tract that is being built up, and is yet to be built up by 
the German citizens in Louisville. And, notwithstand- 
ing the number already here, there is yet room and work 
for many more. As has already been said the advent 
of artizans of this class is desired by the city, and, if 
they can be content to rise to wealth by slow and steady 
increase rather than by rapid strides of progress, their 

* From "Louisville and the Elements of lier Prospei-ity," by H. Smitli, 
Esij., iu the Louisville Journal. 



250 HISTOKY UF J.ULJSVILLK. 



success is infallibly certain. Other inducements will 
also be offered to this and to other classes of people, 
seeking homes and investments, in coniidering the value 
of real estate in Louisville. Let us first look at the 
progress of property valuation during the last half cent- 
ury, as shown in the following table. The assessment 
valuation of property was, in 

1800 $91,183 I 1830 4,316432 



1810 210,475 

1820 1.055,226 



1840* 13,340,164 

1850 13.350,566 



185-2 16,350,052 

This valuation is much smaller than that of the same 
quantity of property would be in any other American 
city, and this very fact has been urged against Louis- 
ville by her rival neighbors. They insist that the low 
price of property here is a proof that the trade of the 
city is not progressive, that hence no inducements are 
offered, either to the emigrant or to the capitalist. A 
slight examination of the subject, however, will show 
why property has not advanced here in the same ratio as 
in other cities, and will also demonstrate the fact that 
the very argument which is urged against Louisville, is 
really a matter of serious congratulation to her. It is 
not denied that land can be had within one mile south 
of the center of the city at from two to three hundred 
dollars per acre, whereas land similarly situated either 
in Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis or New Orleans 

* Speculation in city lots ran very high at this time, and property bore an 
enormous fictitious value. As will be remembered, this feeling was not con- 
fined to Louisville, but was prevalent all over the western country. Thi,^ 
was the era of speculations in western town lots, an cia which will not be re- 
called wiln pleasure by most western nicsi. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 251 



would command nearly, if not quite four times that price. 
On the contrary, it is urged that this should bo and that 
it is at once claimed as a strong recommendation both 
to the capitalist and to the emigrant, in favor of this 
city. The reason why this diiference exists in favor of 
Louisville, is thus plainly shown. If the reader will 
take up the map of Kentucky and Indiana, and, com- 
mencing at the mouth of Harrod's Creek, which empties 
into the Ohio river eight miles above the city, will 
draw a line down to a point five miles below the mouth 
of Salt river, §.nd another line thence southwardly for a 
distance of sixteen miles; and from this point draw a 
gradually decreasing arc back to the point of beginning, 
he will have enclosed a space of country, every foot of 
which is entirely level, is delightfully watered, abounds 
in building material of every description, and is equally 
as well suited to all purposes of building, as are the best 
lots now within the city limits. Nor is this all; cross- 
ing the Ohio river at the foot of the Indiana Knobs, 
one mile below New Albany, and going north-east a dis- 
tance of sixteen miles, and thence back to the Ohio river 
at or near Utica, a triangle is formed whose base is twelve 
miles long, and whose other legs reach about twenty 
miles to the apex. The space embraced within this tri- 
angle possesses precisely the same characteristics as that 
contained in the arc above mentioned. When it is re- 
membered, as has been said by another writer upon the 
same subject, that we have "no need to encroach on 
arms of the sea as at Boston or New York, or to raze 
hills in the rear as at Pittsburg and Cincinnati, or to 
make embauknieuts and to reclaim swamps as at Tievv 



252 HISTUKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



Orleans," Ijut on the contrary, that we possess a location 
where building lots equally good, both as to site andma- 
terial, may be had at one mile and at ten miles distant 
from the center of the city, the mystery of our cheap 
lots begins to be evolved. Here is a space of level 
country beyond the reach of any flood, all parts of which 
are equally well adapted to the purposes of the builder, 
sufiiciently large to contain within its limits the cities 
of London, Paris, and St. Petersburg, with the founda- 
tion for a large city already laid, with a location which, 
in reference to facilities of intercourse with the rest of 
the United States, is unsurpassed ; at the only point of 
obstruction in a continuous line of two thousand miles 
of inland navigation; a half-way house between North 
and South ; a point through which all the great railroad 
arteries must of necessity pass; in the center of the most 
fertile and productive agricultural lands in the Union; in 
a State distinguished for the nobility and chivalry of char- 
acter of its inhabitants, with every advantage which 
nature can give to the merchant, the manufacturer or 
the idle man of wealth and fashion; what is there, in 
view of all these circumstances, to prevent it from be- 
coming the Great City of the West? What other induce- 
ments could be asked either by the capitalist at home or 
the emigrant from abroad? Does the cheapness of pro- 
])erty or do the low prices of rents prove obstacles to cither 
ol" tliese classes of people? Does the fertility of the sur- 
rounding country, and the consequent cheapness of the 
markets draw away any who might otherwise be attract- 
ed hitlier? None of these present the reason why Louis- 
ville is not already what she must inevitably become, the 



H18TOKY OF LOUIgVILLE. 



253 



first city in the West. The reason is contained in the 
fact, not that these things are true, bnt that being true, 
they are not known. It is to her own supineness, to 
her indifference and lack of ambition to attain the rank 
to which she is entitled, that she is indebted for her 
second-rate position. Had the energy of the last two 
years been invested ten years ago, and been continued 
till now, the population of Louisville would to-day have 
been one hundred thousand souls. But she has been 
content to sit languidly down to the enjoyment of the 
passing hour, while her competitors were bracing every 
nerve and straining every muscle, not only to surpass 
her in the race for supremacy, but to disable and destroy 
her. She has at last awakened to a sense of her posi 
tion, her lethargy is at last thrown off, and now the 
struggle begins in earnest. If it be continued in earnest 
it is easy to see that she can rapidly regain her place, 
and easily bear off the palm. 

Let us look for a moment at the geographical position 
of Louisville, and her facilities of intercourse with other 
portions of the country. The following table of dis- 
tances, time, conveyance and cost will readily show this: 



From Louisville to Dist'ce, 



Pittsburg 608 

Cincinnati 150 

Memphis 643 

New Orleans,. . . 1365 

St. Louis 635 

Nashville 176 

New York 1080 

Boston 1135 

Philadelphia.... 793 

Washington 736 

Baltimore 696 



Time, 



60 Hours. 
14 
60 
240 
40 
33 
60 
62 
54 
52 
50 



Conveyance. 



Steamboat. 



Stage. 
Steamboat &, Kail road 



Cost. j 


$7 50 i 


2 50 ; 


8 00 


20 00 


8 00 


12 00 


22 00 


25 GO 


20 00 


' 19 00 


17 50 



12 



354 HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



In a very few years, Cincinnati, Nashville and St. 
Louis, will be connected with us by railroads, which are 
already partly completed, and so reduce the time to 
those cities to six, eight, and twelve hours respectively. 
These communications once established, Louisville be- 
comes the very center of a vast network of roads, con- 
necting different climates, the products of different soils 
and regions of every diversity of wealth. The railroad 
to Nashville connects immediately with Charleston, and 
thence opens roads to New Orleans and Mobile; while 
in another direction it reaches Richmond, Va., passing 
through immense tracts of rich agricultural and mineral 
lands. The railroad to Cincinnati opens to us the whole 
North and East; while that to St. Louis will ultimately 
bring to our doors the products of the Pacific Coast and 
the treasures of the modern El Dorado. Add to all 
these advantages the unavoidable effects of these rail- 
roads, in bringing to light all the possible wealth of the 
countries through which they pass, and then say if any- 
thing but the most criminal neglect of the advantages 
which Nature has given her, can prevent Louisville 
from arriving at the most prominent rank among West- 
ern cities. Does the capitalist desire an investment? 
Where can ho better find it than near a city thus situa 
ted, and one where lands are sold at less prices, and 
building materials are cheaper and are more accessible 
than in any other city of the Union? Does the emigrant 
desire a home? Where can he better find it than near a 
city thus situated, one where the whole of his little 
fortune is not required to buy him a shelter from the 
winds and the rain, one that is yet unfilled with eag^ov 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 255 

competitors in the struggle for wealth, one where the 
products of his industry are needed and will be eagerly 
taken from his hands at their fair value, one where he 
can have not only a field for his own struggle with the 
world, but a place and a circle of friends possessing 
all those attributes which make a home liappy? It can- 
not be but that as publicity is given to these advantages 
possessed by this city, she will attract to her thousands 
of emigrants from abroad, and thousands of capitalists 
and adventurers from other parts of our country. While 
other cities have been spending time and means and in- 
fluence in advocating their claims to consideration, 
Louisville has been silent. She gives publicity to her 
merits now for the first time, and, by this humble little 
missive, she begs only for a fair hearing and for an un- 
biassed consideration of her claims to public favor, sat- 
isfied that if these can be secured her, she need have no 
fear that the highest dreams of ambition which have 
ever been presented to her will be fully realized. 



APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX 

LOUISVILLE ROLLING MILL COMPANY, 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

(CHARCOAL AND PUDDLED.) 

Pfit0w ^£^1^^ wie##^ m@mwm^ &^. 

ff&ce and Store 640 Main street, corner Fifth. 




Tliib establishment is one of the largest in the city and forms a very im- 
portant branch of Louisville manufactures; not only in the way of affording 
employment and the means of living to a large number of persons, but also 
by attracting from every part of this Great Valley an important branch of its 
trade. The company is organized in the best possible manner; the mill con- 
tains all the scientific improvements in this description of manufacture, and 
the energetic President of the company possesses all the i-equisites which 
could tend to guarantee the success of the concern. The Iron made here 
has been fully tested all over the West and commands every market into 
which it is introduced. The company have testimonials of the most flatter- 
ing character from all the iron-workers of Louisville, who pronounce it 
"fully equal if not superior to amj Iron they have ever worked, and more 
aniform in its quality than any other Iron." Similar testimonials have been 
received from the superintendents of the Louisville and Frankfort, the New 
Albany and salem, the Jeffersonville, the Vicksburg and Jackson, and other 
Railroads, as well as from Col. Long, superintendent of the U. S. Marine 
Hospital. The following letter is a fair specimen of the favor with which 
''he company's Iron is everywhere regarded, and is only one of many such 
constantly received by them. It is dated 

Cleveland, Ohio, May 1, 1852. 

We are now using, and have, within the past year, used some fifty tons of 
the Louisville Rolling Mill Iron, for large Bolts for Railroad Bridges in In- 
diana. The Iron for this work must be of very superior quality, uniting 
great strength and tenacity. All the Iron we received of the Louisville 
Rolling Mill was of that character, and gave great satisfaction. 

THATCHER, BURT & CO., 

Railroad Bridge Contractors. 



APPENDIX TO 



FULTON FOUNDRY. 




(SUCCESSORS TO INMAN, GAULT & CO.) 
MANUFACTURERS OF 

STEAM ENaii^EB 

For Marine and Land purposes, and 

ICIIIE ClEIIiSS OF Ml iSCIlPfliS. 

Main street, near corner of Ninth. 



This is believed to be the oldest Fouudry iu Louisville, aud oue of the 
largest and most extensive in the Western country. Their engines have a 
wide-spread reputation in the West and South, and are well known and 
highly prized by Southern boat builders. Their fidelity in materials and 
workmanship, their promptness iu the execution of orders, and their exten- 
sive assortment of the latest and most improved style of tools and patterns, 
combined with the well-known enterprise of the gentlemen who compose 
the firm, have all contributed to build up for this establishment a busi- 
ness and a reputation which reflects credit upon this branch of manufacture 
in the city. Steam engines are built by them in complete running order , 
and ready for use, the purchaser not being required to go to any other fac- 
tory for any of his order. Their business relations extend over a very large 
surface of country, and bring to the city much foreign trade. Besides their 
engines for boats, they also mauufacture machinery of all kinds. Car wheels.. 
Axles and Car castings of all descriptions, together with Iron and Brass cas- 
tings and Wrought Iron work. 

This foundry employs one hundred and twenty hands, and uses six hun- 
dred tons of pig iron annually, besides other materials in proportion. 



BISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



MAKUFACTUREKS OF 



OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, 

SUGAR MILLS, COTTON GINS, &C., &C. 

Main street, near Hinth, 



This concern, although not so old as many of its class is yet one deserving 
especial notice. The description of the business of this foundry differs very 
little, if at all, from some of those already noticed. The quality of work 
is in the highest degree creditable to the proprietors and profitable to this 
department of manufactures in the city, Both members of the firm are 
thorough practical workmen, having been regularly brought up to the 
business, and hence the work which proceeds from this foundry compares 
favorably, not only with any in the city, but with similar kiads of manu- 
factures iu any part of the country. Like most of our large machine foun- 
dries, the Union has extensive connection with the Southern markets. — 
iThey have frequently forwarded as many as seven cotton-gins within a 
jfortnight, to different ports on the Mississippi river. Their Sugar Mills, 
(wherever they have been used, are eminently successful iu their operation. 
iThe casting of Chairs and Frogs for Railroads has also been extensively car- 
ried on at this foundry. In the great department of their business, the man- 
ufacture of Steam Engines for Boats, the Union Foundry enjoys a reputation 
which cannot be anywhere surpasseJ. They have built all sizes of engines, 
land are at present engaged upon a pair of engines with thirty inch cylinder 
jand ten foot stroke. Indeed the heaviest castings of all sorts are construc- 
jted as readily and perfectly as the lightest, aud are made to work with equal 
ease and precision. 

The Union Foundry employs eighty-four hands the -year rouud," and 
/coijsnmes cix hua'lre.'l ions of mc'al- 



APPENDIX TO 



KENTUCKY 

iS^CLD J! 



m&mm^im # wm&mm 



MANUFACTURE K S F 

Main street, near Ninth, 



This well known Brass Foundry, now in the fifteenth year of its esistencP' 
h another of those factoi'ies which are ornaments to tiie city. It has never 
attempted the heavy steamhoat castings, rather choosing the lighter machin- 
ery; and the reputation of the establishment is derived chiefly from the excel- 
lent finish and completeness of the work turned out. The most complex 
machinery is carefuUj' and accurately made aud fitted together. All work 
requiring nicety of construttion and careful attention to detail, is here man- 
ufactured, and in a manner which has always given entire satisfaction. 

Every article is made under the immediate supervision of the proprietors, 
who are practical workmen and whose past reputation is a sure guarantee for 
the quality of every piece of work. The Fire Engines, and machinery for 
Hemp manufacture made at this establishment are deservedly celebrated. — 

Some of the most effective fire engines of this city 'and vicinity, have been 
constructed at this foundry. The Brass work made there is also creditable. 

From thirty-five to forty hands are employed constantly; the busines*. 
unlike that of most foundries, being equally good at all seasons of the year. 



HI8TOKT OF LOUISVILLE. 



HYDRAULIC FOUNDEY. 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

IRON RAILING, ORNAMENTAL CASTINGS, 



WASHINGTON ST. COR. FLOYD. 



This foimrlry possesses mauy features which are peculiar to it alone. It is 
only here that Cast Iron Screw pipes are made; no other manufactory of this 
article exists in the Western States. The machinery used in this manufac- 
ture is beautiful in its construction, and perfectly adapted to the use for 
which it is intended. All the Gas pipes for the city, as well the main, as 
the smaller sevice pipes are made at this establiehment. Many of these 
screw pipes are used iu the Southern sugar houses, and their cheapness and 
durability, as well as the convenience with which they are put up, especially 
recommend them for that purpose. For supplying rail road stations, distill- 
eries and tan yards they arc also largely used. The demand for this article 
of so universal use is of course very great, and attracts much attention to 
Louisville manufacture. This foundry also manufactures a pnmp, well 
iknown to be the best forcing and lift pump in existence. Many hundreds of 
them are annually sold in New Orleans, and their reputation and sale all 
over the South is of the very first character. Tobacco Screws and Presses for 
iCottou, Tobacco and Hay as well as machinery generally, are also made here, 
jlron Railing in another large branch of their manufacture. The patterns 
(for this railing are almost endless in variety, and few foundries in the 
jcountry can offer so many inducements to the purchasers of all sorts of or- 
jnamcutal Castings as this. Their latest novelty is a Morticing machine, 
khich is worthy of the special attention of mechanics. This establishment 
^empl'^y^ fifty hnudf, and is the only one of the kind in the city. 



APPENDIX TO 



BI@¥1LTY WQiElliS. 



BEATTY & HAWLEY, 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

STEAM-MADE COCKS AND FAUCETS 

AND 
North side Main Street between Eighth and Ninth. 



This factory, which has been but recently put into operation, is the delib- 
erate result of several years consideration and study. Messrs. Beatty and 
Hawley, the former of whom has been long and well known in Louisville as 
a sagacious practical manufacturer and man of business, have finally com- 
pleted all the arrangements which are necessary to the establishment of this 
foundry on thoroughly scientific principles, aud have possessed themselves of 
all the advantages to be derived from a complete study of the business. The 
concern is by no means an ordinary brass foundry. The West has heretofore 
sadly needed an establishment of this kind, those already in operation being 
incompetent to the wants of the people. The factory is now thoroughly 
organized, the best workmen have been employed, the most recent and useful 
tools and machinery have been provided and everything has been done with 
reference to a permanent and valuable business. Cylinder, Pump, Guage 
and Oil Cocks, Oil Cups, Fawcetts, Couplings and all like requirements of 
the Steam Engine builder are made here aud warranted fully equal to any 
made in the United States. The same may be said with reference to articles 
used by the house plummer. Their planing machines, lathes, &c., are of 
the very best quality, and their machines for screw-cutting aud for punching 
nuts and washers are also very perfect. Bells, Steam-Whistles, and in fine 
every variety of article manufactured from brass or bell metal will be made 
at this foundry. Babbet metal and such other like compositions as are use- 
ful to the machihest or brass founder are also sold at this establishmeut. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



'#S' 



m^ mmmM^m^ 



"iS <a* 'w « as 

MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS OF 



i 

Market Street, between Eighth and Ninth. 



This Foundry directs its attention more particularly to a new branch of 
business, in which^it also has been eminently successf nl. It adds yet a greater 
number to the already large variety of uses to which iron is applied. Mr. 
Snead is the pioneer of this business in Louisville, and his is the only estab- 
lishment in the West where ornamental work is the chief business of the 
foundry. It is well known that Iron can be applied to almost all work of 
this description, and furnished at less price than any other kind of material. 
The city abounds with proofs of the taste displayed by this gentleman in his 
manufacture. His efforts have been constantly directed toward attaining the 
highest degree of excellence, both in design and execution, and he is con- 
stantly preparing novelties and adapting his pliant material to new and valu- 
able uses. Among the latest of these novelties may be mentioned a cast-iron 
Pavement for the sidewalk, which is composed of nicely fitting plates of 
Iron, in various forms of mosaic work, ornamented with graceful designs. 
This pavement, which will soon be exhibited, will doubtless at once take the 
j place of the present destructible and uncomfortable footways, as it is not on- 
I ly more beautiful but far more durable. Iron counters for fancy stores form 
I another improvement proceeding from this foundry. Cast Girders for the 
builder is also a novel article. The patterns for this establishment; already 
i greater than would readily be credited, are daily augmented by additional 
I designs from competent and tasteful hands. Storefronts, Porticos for church- 
\ es and private dwellings, Corinthian, Ionic, Doric, Composite and Gothic 
[i columns, cast Lintels and Sills for windows and doors. Brackets and Trusses 
]of the most ornamental designs. Flue Covers, Chimney Covers, Vault Gra- 
tings, Air Grates, Stair Plates, Bedsteads, Window Frames and Sash, Hat, 
Backs, Caps and bases for columns of any order, and numerous other like ar- 
ticles, are made at this foundry. Spittoons, Grate-bars, Hollow-ware, Tea- 
Kettles, &c., also form a part of their woi'k. The continued success of this 
jfoundry i- a proof of the existeuceof a high order of taste in the city. 

1.^ 



10 



APPENDIX TO 



LOUISVILLE 



D. & J. WEIGHT & Co. 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

COPPER, TIN, AND SHEET IRON WARE. 

NO. 432 MAIN STREET. 



This immense establishment was organized by Messrs. Bridgeford & Hoi 
brook as early as 1837, and was the first foundry for stoves in the city. The 
articles manufactured at this establishment, arc well known as bearing a high 
reputation all over the West. The gentlemen who compose the firm are 
men of enterprise, and are always the first to present the latest novelties in 
patterns or workmanship. They manufacture a large part of the sheet iron 
steamboat stoves which are used on the western rivers, and have a deservedly 
great name among steamboat furnishers. The large and commodious build- 
ing erected by them as a foundry, is a proof of the prosperity which has at- 
tended their endeavors. The work sent from this establishment, whether of 
the most ordinary kinds or of the finest and most elegant enamelled waie, 
will compare very favorably with that of any other establishment m the 
West. Thev consume annually in their foundry about twelve hundred tons 
of iron, and employ one hundred hands; while the tin and cojjper factory 
nses and vends three thousand boxes of tin plate, and from ^15 0(10 to 
820,000 worth of sheet copper, wire, block tin, sheet zinc, lead, lead pipe, &c_ 
Two thousand bundles of sheet and rod iron aie also annually employed 
The establishment is one which reflects great credit upon its proprietors, and 
forms an importnnt part of Louisville Manufactures. 



ialSTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 11 



EAGLE FOUNDEY. 



MANUFACTURERS OF 

EKDiLILOW WAW&, 

COPPER, TIN, AND SHEET IRON WORK. 

NO. 536 MAIN STREET. 



This foundry may be regarded as having been the first to introduce into 
the city the manufacture of the present extensive and complete variety of the 
finer sorts of stove work. The principals of the establishment, themselves 
practical workmen, have used much well-directed exertion to produce quite 
a revolution in the style of manufacture of the articles which come from 
their foundry. They have not only been early to introduce novelties from 
abroad, but have themselves patented many valuable articles. Among them 
the Eclipse Range, a cooking stove possessing numerous advantages over most 
of those now known, is desemng of especial mention. This range is in very 
common use all over the city, and is highly prized wherever it is known, 
They are also manufacturers of a great variety of elegant enamelled grates 
garden vases and ornamental figures for gardens and yards. These latter ar- 
ticles have recently been introduced by these gentlemen, and they are being 
rapidly transferred from their warehouses to the many beautiful grounds of 
our wealthier citizens. 

Their foundry and buildings cover about half a square of ground; they 
employ one hundred and twelve Iiands, and melt daily seven tons of iron 
Their importation of tin plate reaches four thousand three hundred and fifty 
boxes. Copper, zinc, wire, sheet iron, &,c., arc also used in immense quan- 
tities- The latest novelty of this establishment is Cliilsons Air Warming 
and Ventilating Fui'uacc for public and private buildings. 



12 AJeFEJMDiX io 



FALLS CITY 
McDERMOTT, McGBAIN & Co., 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

COPPER, TIN AND SHEET IKON WARE, 
No. 73 Fonrth Street. 



This foundry, begun by Meadows & McGrain, is anollier well known es- 
tablishment. The eastings made by these gentlemen bear an equally high 
reputation with those already noticed. The firm has since its commence- 
ment been constantly improving in the quantity of its manufactured articles, 
and has added many valuable improvements to the stock of the stove founder. 
Among these may be noticed three new styles of cooking stove, all of which 
have attained a deserved celebrity. These are called ' T/te Stooe," ''Du- 
rable KentucJcian," and the "Queen Fremium." The first of these is suit- 
ed to the wants of the city, being economical in the use of its fuel, and hav- 
ing attached to it a "summer arrangement," which does away with the ex- 
treme heat of the ordinary cooking stove. The oven is also so arranged that 
both bread and meat may be baked at the same time without imparting the 
taste of the one to the other. The second stove, the Keutuckian, is particu- 
liarly adapted to the wants of the farmers, being large, roomy, and of un- 
usual weight and durability. All of these stoves have met the entire appro- 
bation of those who have used them. Large quantities of Hollow Ware, such 
as pots, kettles, skillets, ovens, odd lids, &c., are cast at this foundry, and 
sold as well to the city as to country dealers. The common stoves made at 
the Falls City Foundry, arc of excellent patterns and unusual weight; it not 
bemg the custom of this establishment in any case to sacrifice utility to or- 
nament. All the articles usually made by the tinner also form a branch of 
their manufactory. These gentlemen receive large quantities of job-work, 
which, as is well known, they execute in a superior manner. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 13 



MANUFACTURER OF 

ST©¥ES, ©BATES, H@iL©%¥ WME, 

TEA KETTLES, SAD IRONS, 

ARCHITECTURAL AND OTHER CASTINGS. 

Foundry, Main Street between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. 
Ware House, 367 Main Street, 



This Foundry, although recently established, is under the charge of a gen- 
tleman who is well known as having been long connected with this business 
in the city, and as bearing a very high reputation as a master-workman. 
The details of this business differ little from those already noticed. The 
quality of the work which proceeds from the Hope Foundry is surpassed by 
none in any part of the country. The sole difference between this and the 
stove foundries, already noticed, is found in the fact that great attention is 
here paid to architectural and job-work. Mr. M's skill in the operations of 
the foundry, and his constant presence and attention to all his work, recom- 
mend this establishnent, in the highest manner, to all who desire to get up 
any novelty or to prepare any peculiar work. This foundry is as yet in its 
infancy, having been organized less than a year ago. It has already acquired 
an excellent business, and now finds ready sale for all the articles which can 
be produced. It is entirely safe to predict for it a speedy rise to great emi- 
nence. The factory is so arranged as to be readily extended to any capacity 
which may be desired, and the constantly increasing demand for this species 
of manufacture in the city, and its dependancies, will doubtless soon bring 
about this increase. It will be seen that Louisville is abundantly supplied 
with Foundries, and that the extent of work done in this line is of very great 
importance to hei- interests. 



14 APPENDIX TO 



1 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES, 
Corner Main and Hancock Streets. 



This is the largest establishmtuit of the kiiul in the western country, and 
is alike a credit to its proprietors and au honor to the city. The machinery 
used is of the most perfect order, and the concern is indebted to its own in- 
ventive powers for a great part of its completeness. The proprietors are both 
practical workmen, and they give their constant attention to all the details 
of their manufacture. The consequences of this care and attention are shown 
in the widely spread reputation of their manufactured articles. The chief 
market of these articles is found in the southern States and in Texas. It is 
greatly to the credit of this factory that their articles are so readily taken up 
by the planters, for it is well known that inferior agricultural machines and 
implements find no buyers among this class of consumers. In Louisiana, 
Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee, the machines and implements of this 
firm are universally known, and possess an enviable reputation. ^lessrs. H. 
& C. have introduced machinery by which one man can produce as many, 
iron axles in a day as can usually be made by thirty hands, and the article 
so made is far more perfect than the old and tediously constructed one. 
They have also a small and ingenious saw of their own invention, for cutting 
felloes, and for sawing crooked lines, which for rapidity and precision cannot 
be anywhere surpassed. They also manufacture on their premises every ar- 
ticle and every part of every article, vvliich they sell. Plows, wagons, carts, 
timber wheels, harrows, cultivators, and other articles are made entirely on 
the premises, from the raw material in'o the perfect and finished article. 
They employ thirty hands, and produce from eighty to one hundred thousand 
dollars worth of work annually. Beside this establishment there are four 
other plow manufactui'ers, and twenty-one other wagon makers. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVIIXE. 



15 



BENJ. F. AVERY, 



MANUFACTURER OF 



AND 




Main St. bet. Floyd & Preston. 



It is a proof of the prosperity of a city when manufactories of so exclusive 
a character as the one before us not only exist but are handsomely sustained. 
Some five years ago Messrs. B. F. & U. H. Avery commenced the manufac- 
ture of the since celebrated Livingston County Plow. It was with difficulty 
that the prejudices of the agricultural community in favor of other instru- 
ments were overcome, but by dint of industrious exertion the plow slowly 
gained the confidence of the community until it now holds, in several of the 
Southern and Western States, the very first rank as a plow. It is worthy of 
notice, as a proof of the enterprise of this firm, that each year since it was 
first introduced they have been obliged to double the number of plows made 
the preceding year. A few months since Messrs. B. F. & D. H. Avery dis- 
solved their firm and Mr. B. F. Avery has now sole charge of the establish- 
ment. He has recently made some valuable improvements upon his plow, 
which will make its utility still more general. The new plow is found ex- 
cellent for after -cultivation, and in connection with the old one makes his 
stock of plows fully adequate to every variety of American soil. Mr. B. F. 
Avery has spent some twenty-five years in this species of manufacture, and 
his experience is alone a proof of the value of his iuventiou. His business. 
though already very large, is growing rapidly every year. 



10 APPENDIX TO 



EDWARD HOLBROOK, 



MANUFACTUKER OF 




CIGAKS, &c. 

No. 474 MAIN STREET, 



This extensive tobacco factory, establislied some twelve years ago, is one of 
the most importaut^iu the city. It was commenced at a time when Kentucky 
manufactured tobacco found very little market in the cities of the United 
States, but has grown with astonishing rapidity and vigor. Mr. Holbrook 
is an old dealer in tobacco, and has acquired great sagacity in the selection 
of the article suited to the variovas departments of manufacture. His skill 
as a manufacturer is also worthy of notice. For many years he has been em- 
ployed in testing the value of the various methods of producing the finest 
qualities of Chewing Tobacco, and has added many valuable improvements to 
the ordinary methods of manufacturing the article. By the industry and en- 
terprise of this gentleman and his fellow tobacconists, the Louisville-made ar- 
ticle has driven entirely out of market all the medium and lower brands of 
Virginia tobacco, and readily competes with even the higher brands of this 
favorite manufacture. The business of tliis factory is extended over a large 
surface of country. From the Lakes at the North to New Orleans, this to- 
bacco is not only rapidly bought up, but is eagerly inquired for. Barker & 
Co., of Detroit, Mich., write to Mr. H.: "We have orders dailt/, which we 
cannot fill for want of your tobacco." Pi-eston & Bros., of Evansville, 
write: "This tobacco gives good satisfaction." Twitty & Smith, of New 
Orleans, say: "We doubt not, speedy satisfactory sales may be made of several 
hundred boxes by 1st of September." Rawson, Wilby & Co., of Cincinnati, 
nnder date of June 7, 185-2, write: " We Jiavn a market for all the tobacco 
you can manufacture.'" Hundreds of similar letters could be shown from 
various points. These however will be sufficient to establish the character 
of the article. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. IT 



ieiB@l F^©T@tY. 



MANUFACTURERS OF 

CHEWING TOBACCO, 

Sixth Street, near Main. 



This is the oldest tobacco factory iu the city, and was the first which man- 
aged successfully to introduce this article. Previous to the establishment of 
this -factory, all descriptions of chewiuf; tobacco were bi'ought from Virginia . 
Almost any other manufacturers would have sunk under the distrust and ill- 
will evinced by dealers of every class against this tobacco in the earliest 
years of its introduction. It was difficult at first to persuade the dealers 
even to receive the article on commission — and prodigious efforts were then 
required to overcome the prejudice against western made tobacco. The 
gentlemen who are at the head of the fu-m, however, fully persuaded of the 
value of their manufacture, and knowing it needed only to be known to be 
appreciated, continued their exertions, and finally succeeded in reaching the 
market. The results were great beyond their expectation. In 1832, the first 
iron tobacco press was brought by them to this city; ten years have elapsed, 
and nearly two hundred presses are now in full operation. The Union Fac- 
tory merited and has received its full share of the benefit of this increase. 
The tobacco made by them competes with the best Virginia article, and has 
completely supplanted all the inferior qualities of that tobacco. The city 
dealers are almost entirely supplied by this factoiy, and hundreds of boxes 
are daily sent abroad. Their tobacco has found a market even in the distant 
California. Several hundred boxes were recently shipped to that point by 
the way of New York. A great revolution has been effected in this article 
by these gentlemen, thousands of dollars have been added to the trade of the 
city, and an entirely new market has been created by them. They have not 
only richly merited the success which has awaited them, but they also deserve 
much at the hands of tlie friends of the city for their sagacity and enterprise 
in this regard. 



18 



APPENDIX TO 



T. :f'- ::e.A.sT, 



MANUFACTURER OF 






^m ^m mM M^ MJ m% mac ^m m)^ o^ f 



AND 

^ S^' T^ L2^ O^ ^» 
Main Street, between Second and Third. 



This is an old and well established firm, and one of those which have risen to 
eminence from small beginnings. The manufacture of cigars, Mr. Bast 
shares in common with some hundreds of others, though his establishment is 
by far the largest in the city, but in the making of snuff he is without a rival. 
The attention of this factory is principally directed to the manufacture of the 
fiuer quality of cigars, though many common cigars are made here. Mr. B« 
is himself an accomplished workman, and his articles may be entirely depend- 
ed upon. There are about three millions of cigars made and sold here annu- 
ally. The smokiug tobacco from this factory is eagerly sought for wherever 
it is known; its superior quality and cheapness making a ready market for it 
wherever introduced. Mr. B.'s manufacture of snuff also forms a largo 
branch of this business. The peculiar quality of this article consists in its en- 
tire adaptation to every climate, and its capacity for withstanding the in- 
fluences of time. It may be transported everywhere, and kept for any length 
of time without receiving injury, Mr. B.'s sales at wholesale are not con- 
fined merely to the usual country trade; many of his articles find their way 
in large quantities to the great cities, and many of his brands receive distin- 
guished preference in these places. Beside his own manufactured articlee 
Mr. B. imports choice pipes, snulf boxes, cigar cases, and similar fancy ar- 
ticles. As a retailer, his store is celebrated as the resort of all the connois- 
seiirs in smoking, snuffing, and their various equipments. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, 



19 



CHEISTOPHEE & STAMCLIFF, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 




AND OF 



SASH, BLINDS, BOOKS, &C. 



CORNER OF EIGHTH AND GREEN. 



This factory was organized three years ago on a very extensive scale, with 
a view to supplying the demand for Sashes, Doors, and other like articles 
.for the builder or the house carpenter. Since its commencement, however, 
it has constantly increased both in the amount and variety of work, until it has 
come to be one of the largest establishments in the city. Enormous build- 
ings have been put up at great expense, new machinery of various kinds has 
been added to the original supply, experienced workmen have been brought 
from the older cities, and everything has been effected which could con- 
tribute to place the concern on an equality in point of capacity with any 
similar establishment in the country. The manufacture of railroad cars is 
a new department of the business; created by the growing necessity for pro- 
curing such work at home. The cars made by these gentlemen have all the 
new improvements known to the car builder, and are beautiful specimens of 
handicraft. In this immense factory, the painter, the turner, the black- 
smith, the cabinet maker, the car builder, the upholsterer, and the cai-penter, 
all find employment at ^heir various trades. All the screws, nuts, &c., used 
in the factory, are made on the premises by machinery. The gentlemen who 
compose the firm, are entirely competent to the management of their diver- 
sified business, and great credit is due them for the promptness and excel- 
lence with which they execute all descriptions of their work. 



20 



f^ ^M^ 



APPENDIX TO 
MANUFACTURERS OF 



?^iJ 



P^ 






AND 



No. 622 MAIN STREET. 



This lai'ne and well organized mill is well known to western builders. It 
is one of those conveniences which are found only in large cities, where the 
builder can find ready made to his hand all that is necessai-y for the interior 
and exterior wood work of his house. Boards are taken from the lum-^ 
bar yard, and by machinery planed and moulded into all the forms necessary 
for the house carpenter, thus saving all the tedious hand labor, and reducing 
the enormous expense which has attended the buildmg of houses. The major- 
ity of planing mills have never attempted more than the preparation of work for 
cheap house*; but this establishment before us has specimens of its manufac- 
ture in some of the finest residences in and about the city. The proprietors 
of this mill are devoting much attention to the finer departments of work, and 
their success is at once complete and merited. The feeling which once ex- 
isted against the work of the planing mill, is rapidly disappearing before the 
exertions of these gentlemen; they have supplied such large quantities r£ 
work of all sorts, and have so entirely the confidence of the community, th;;t 
their work is eagerly sought after, and they are constantly full of orders^ 
They employ about seveniy-five hands, and have machines, which plane 
about twenty-three thousand feet. of lumber per day. They also manufacture 
large quantities of Packing|Boxes, which they furnish to the stores at smalj 
prices. This department of their business is of itself of considerable extent. 
Jjumber in the rough is also sold in large quantities. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 21 



BEN. F. CAWTHON, 

MANUFACTURER OF 



AT 

-%7%7^ :ei: o Xj El s j^Xj 

Corner of Ninth and JeiFerson. 



This establishment is among the largest factories of its class in the western 
country. Although but a short time has elapsed since the manufacture of 
furniture by machinery was adopted in this part of the country, this factory 
has come to supply the wants of a great part of the West. In factories of 
this sort the manufacture of the most elegant classes of furniture is not at- 
tempted; attention being directed only to the staples of the trade, in the pro- 
duction of which machinery can be used to advantage. This machinery beau- 
tiful in its adaptation, and perfect in its application, is well worthy of notice. 
There are comparatively few of the operations of this establishment to which 
the machinery does not apply. All the separate parts of each piece of fur- 
niture are got out by machinery and cleaned up, veneered, and put together 
by hand workmen. Mr. C. thoroughly comprehends the business which 
he pursues, and has entirely the confidence of those with whom he has com- 
mercial relations. Large quantities of lumber are kept upon the premises, 
so that all the wood used in manufacture, is thoroughly seasoned; the work- 
men employed in the factory are mechanics of the best order, and the estab- 
lishment has a high reputation for honesty and fair dealing, not only in the 
quality of work but in the equality of prices. Mr. C. has a regular printed 
price current by which he is governed, and according to which all dealers 
arc equally served. His trade extends over a great part of the West and 
South, embracing the States of Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, 
Mississippi; Louisiana, Arkansas aud Missouri. As will readily be seen, a 
manufactory of this kind, so useful in its interests, and so large in its extent, 
is of great importance to the city; bringing, as it does, large amounts of 
money from other and distant points, and disbursing them at home; as well 
as offering inducements to the immigi-ation hither, (which are and have been 
eagerly embraced,) of a valuable class of citizens. 



/ 



22 



APPENDIX lO 



MANUFACTURER OF ALL KINDS OF 




533 Main Street, between 2nd & 3rd. 



The raauufacture of furniture in large quantities ami with the aid of ma- 
chinery has but lately been introduced into the western country, and how- 
ever it may have reduced the prices or extended the sale of the articles so 
manufactured, it has by no means destroyed or even interfered with the sale 
of articles manufactured by hand. Of the finer class of furniture, of all 
those articles which are used merely as luxuries, as well as of such as are re- 
quired to stand the test of severe use, those manufactured by hand are yet 
preferred; and the growing desire in the "West for the best articles of fur- 
niture has rendered the class of manufactures under consideration of great 
value and importance. Louisville contains a very large number of establish- 
ments for the manufacture of fine as well as of durable and substantial com- 
mon furniture. The largest of these and the one best calculated to display 
this branch of business is the well-known establishment of John M. Stokes, 
now in the 22d year of its existence. There is scarcely a finely furnished 
parlor in Louisville or its vicinity, scarcely an elegant steamer in the south- 
ern trade, that does not show the capacity of this firm to rival any similar 
establishment in the country. And while in some other branches of manu- 
facture, Louisville may be exceeded by other western cities, it is only fair to 
say, that a visit to the immense establishment of Mr. Stokes will readily cou- 
• vince any one that in this department of trade, Louisville cannot be exceeded 
either in quality of work or in its price. Mr. S. has now in process of erec- 
tion a large four story building, where he purposes to add very considerably 
to his already large manufacture. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



23 



ISAAC CHOMIE, 




MANUFACTtTRER OF 

.1 P 



PiiiTiiiPi 




Mill, Main Street between Tenth and Eleventh, 

Store, No. 477 Main St. 



This is tlie largest Paper Mill iu the Western country, and fully equal in 
point of capacity and advantages with any in the Union. It was established 
in 184G, and passed into the hands of its present proprietor in 1848. The 
mill is furnished with every desirable improvement in the machinery used 
for paper making; the building is very commodious and well arranged, and 
is under the immediate supervision of Mr. Kellogg, a gentleman in every way 
qualified for his office. It is in constant operation, night and day, being 
lighted up by gas, which is also manufactured on the premises. This mill 
has advantages over most western mills in the fact that an abundant supply 
of rags is furnished in this market, that it is situated in a fine hemp growing 
region, where this article can readily be procured, bleached and reduced to 
the finest texture for strengthening paper; that this is an admirable location 
for making shipments of the manufactured article, and that the most excel- 
lent water is brought from wells on the premises in any quantity which may 
be desired. A very large amount of capital is invested in this establishment, 
and no expense has been spared in effecting every improvement known to 
the paper maker, and the results of this outlay of capital, and of the sagacity 
and enterprise of its proprietor are now evident. Not only does this paper 
find a ready market, but orders have so multiplied upon the factory that, 
even with the immense product, they have been unable until lately to com- 
plete their contracts for delivery. The stack for the furnace of this mill is 
140 feet high, and can be seen from all the avenues of approach to the city. 



24 



Al^FKNDlX TO 




WPIOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALERS 

I N 



STRxW GOODS, FURS, &C. 

485 Main Street. 



But a few years have elapsed since all the liats sold in this market were 
the produce of eastern factories; aud this department was not considered of 
sufficient value to be detached from oiher branches of trade. In latter years 
however, it has reached a position which makes it equal in importance to 
most other branches. Western merchants are fully awai'c of the value of 
Louisville as a market for hats, and even where many other articles are pur- 
chased elsewhere, this market is always selected and preferred by the buyei* 
for his bill of hats. 

Few firms have as rapidly grown into the favor aud confidence of the com- 
munity as the one referred to above. They possess an enviable reputation 
throughout the South and West, both as elegant manufacturers, and as 
prompt and efficient men of business. Neither Beebe of New York, nor 
Rousto of Paris, are better known or more prized as hatters by the residents 
in the valley of the Mississippi. This is proven in the fact that their sales 
at wholesale reach the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, while their 
retail trade adds to this the sum of fifty thousand dollars more. Their man- 
ufacture is chiefly confined to the fiuest (juality of hats. They employ from 
twenty-five to thirty hands. 

This house also deals largely iu furs, (heir purcliases in this article aniouut 
to about thirty. five thousand dollars nnnnuily. 'I'iirir market for these furs 
is found in London and Leipsic. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 25 



f 
LATELY P. S. BARBER & CO. 

MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS IN 




No. 455 MAIN STEEET. 



This establishment, the oldest in the city, also commancls a very prominent 
position] in the western country. What has before been said with reference 
to the hat business, applies equally well to this establishment. The energy 
and promptness of this firm as manufacturers, the extended character of their 
business relations, and the high position which they occupy at home as well 
as abroad, have not only insured their own prosperity beyond any usual con- 
tingency but have added to the fame, the business and the resources of the city 

Some idea may be formed of the increase in this department of business, 
when it is asserted that the sales of this house alone now reaches an amoi\nt 
greatly beyond what five years ago were the entire sales of the city. Hats 
made in Louisville always find the preference with western and southern 
purchasers over those made elsewhere. Not only are the qualities greatly 
superior, but the styles are far preferable; and for a similar class of goods, 
the prices are equally as low as those of any other market. In these re- 
marks, reference is of course had to the best quality of hats. Tnere is no 
department of trade which has increased, and siill promises to increase more 
rapidly than this. 

The purchase and export of furs and peltries is also extensively carried on 
by this house. 

The two examples of this business given in this volume will bear favorable 
comparison with any other hat houses in the West; if indeed they do not sur- 
pass all their compeers. 



m APPENDIX TO 

NEEDHAM'S 

dJJ/^^ <;>M^^^ ^^^ ^«^wr ^J ^ m*A '^^<^««4 <f^^ ^ i^ ^ rtit ""^Jf "^i^ 

AND 
Jefferson St. between 3rd & 4tli, North Side. 



This establishment has beeu in permanent and successful operation for the 
last seventeen years, and is, we believe, the oldest one of the kind in the 
city. The greater portion of the marble used; is imported directly from 
Italy in the block, via New Orleans. The foreign and domestic marble bu- 
siness has been a rapidly increasing one from the period of its first introduc- 
tion, and OTir workmen have readily availed themselves of all the improved 
manufacturing processes. They are therefore prepared to furnish all articles 
in their line at as low a price, as the same articles can be furnished at any 
point in the West. Fine articles of manufactured marble arc now c/ieaper 
in the city of Louisville than in the city of London. 

At Needham's Marble Warerooms may be found a well arranged stock of 
marble Mantles, varying in price from twenty-five to one hundred and fifty 
dollars. They are made of Italian, Egyptian, Irish, and the Sienna marbles. 
He also makes to order the various descriptions of furniture marble work. 

In the department of monuments, tombs, tablets, and general cemetery 
work, his stock and designs are said to be the largest in the AV est. All work 
sent from the city is carefully packed, and warranted free from breakage. 
The aim and object of the proprietor is to establish a permanent business by 
doing good work at moderate prices 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



27 



mmm wEmmEmEi 



MANUFACTURER OF 




©y^^T^DK]©, \F\LlA(^i 



'9 LI i^i^^^^g 
Aud all articles appertaining to the business of the 

UPHOLSTEEEE, 

Wall Street, four doors below Main. 



In Louisville, the business of upholsterer is one of great importance. The 
large number of steamboats which are built and furnished at this point gives 
a great deal of work in this department of manufacture. The reputation of 
this city as an admirable place for procuring articles of this description has 
attracted much trade from other points. The factory of Mr. Wilkins, now 
in the twelfth year of its existence, is one of the best and most favorably 
known in Louisville and in the West. It is perhaps more in this than in any 
other department of manufacture that the purchaser is compelled to depend 
on the honesty as well as the taste and judgment of the workman. The re- 
putation of this factory is a sure guarantee for the first of these qualities, and 
the many specimens of nroi-k to be seen all over the city and in most of our 
steamboats, will readily establish the other. A very large trade has been 
built up for this concern by the fidelity and carefulness of its proprietor. 
The whole interior fitting of steamboats and houses is undertaken here. 
Beds, carpets and curtains of all descriptions and qualities are made and fit- 
ted up in a style of superior excellence. The spring-mattrasses made at this 
factory have a wide spread and deservedly great reputation. Some of those 
mattrasses have not only been used during the life of one boat, but have been 
removed from one steamer to its successor several times. The use of spring 
mattrasses on steamers is probably the severest test to which they can be 
subjected. 



28 



APPENDIX TO 



METCALFE'S BEEWERY. 



MANUFACTURERS OF 



AND 



Market Street^ between Sixth and Seventh. 



This brewery, organized in 1832, is tlie oldest in the city, and is equal in 
point of size and capacity to any in the West. The long practice in this 
manufacture which the senior partner of this fii-m has had, and the well- 
known reputation of the establishment are sufficient proofs of the quality of 
articles manufactured here. Situated in the centre of a splendid grain mar- 
ket, with water equal to any in the world, and with thoroughly practiced and 
competent workmen, the Louisville Ales, Beer, Brown-Stout, &c., cannot be 
anywhere surpassed. The Brown-Stout from Metcalfe's Brewery is fully 
equal in every respect to the London article; and the experiment of placing 
it, in Byass' bottles, before the best connoisseurs has been frequently attempt- 
ed, and always with success. It has, however, a reputation of its own and 
does not thei'efore need a foreign stamp to make it currently received. Be- 
side furnishing the interior of most of the western States, Messrs. M. & G. 
find a very extended and ready market for articles of their manufacture ia 
the larger cities. Memphis and St. Louis receive and sell large quantities of 
these articles, and scarcely a boat leaves for the Tennessee or Cumberland 
rivers without having among her freight more or less of the products of this 
brewery. Cards announcing the presence of these articles for sale are every 
where shown out as inducements to the lovers of these delightful beverages. 
In Louisville the brewings of Messrs. M. & G. are highly valued by all. 



HISTOBif UF LOUISVILLE 



CLAEK BKADLEY, 



29 



MANUFACTURER OF 




Main Street, between Brook and First. 



The manufacture of carriages is not carried on as extensively by any single 
firm iu the West as in the East. The business is however one, embracing a 
large amount of capital, but the number of manufactoiies prevents any single 
house from doing a very large amount of work. Carriage building in Louis- 
ville has, however, recently partaken of the impulse which has been given to 
every department of manufactures. There are fully three times as many 
carriages built in Louisville now, as there were three years ago. The smaller 
establishments in the interior places have been obliged to resign to the superior 
quality and price of Louisville work. There is no city in the Union where 
there are so many private vehicles used, in proportion to the population, as iu 
Louisville. This fact has led to the endeavor on the part of carriage makers 
here to compete with foreign workmen. And with the single exception of 
heavy carriages, Louisville builders are at any time ready to furnish carriages 
at the same price as they can be had in the East. 

Mr. Bradley's establishment will afford a very fair example of this busi- 
ness. It is one of the oldest in the city, and has a fine reputation. The 
quality of work manufactured here cannot be surpassed, and Mr. B.'s 
thorough knowledge, long experience, and personal attention to his business, 
have done credit to him, and tended to advance the interests of this business 
in the city. His sales extend to Kentucky, Tennessee, North Alabama, Ar- 
kansas, and even to Mississippi and Louisiana. Fully one third of the sales 
of this factory are made out of the State. Mr. Bradley employs about twenty 
hands, who receive about ten thousand dollars annually. His sales amount 
to about thirty thousand dollars. The value of this as a market for this 
species of manufacture, is fast beginning to be felt: and it cannot be doubted 
that it will become ere long the very best market of the country. 



30 



APPENDIX TO 



MANUFACTUERS OF 



^D 



'^^ 



:oxjcs-C31-x:h3S, cfcc:?. 



Kg. 650 Main Street. 



This manufactory, tliougli not so old as many of our carriage shops, is still 
one deserving especial notice. The proprietors are themselves constantly 
employed in the details of their work, and the result of their knowledge, at- 
tention and experience is plainly observable in the work which proceeds from 
their establishment. They possess the entire confidence of the community, 
and, for the short time they have been employed in their business, have been 
in every way very successful workmen. Although the greater part of their 
sales are made in and around the city, they yet send theii" carriages over a 
large part of the southern and soutti-western States. It is idle for western 
and southern buyers any longer to indulge the foolish opinion, that better, 
more durable, or more elegant carriages can be bought in the eastern mar- 
kets, than can be had at home. Such an opinion was held until recently in 
regard to fine furniture, but that has disappeared under the earnest endeavor 
of Louisville manufacturers, and it is time for western purchasers to learn to 
depend on their own workmen for supplies of every sort. Messrs. B. & R, 
have now in their establishment carriages of all sorts which will favorably 
compare in point of elegance with those made in any part of the Union, and 
will far exceed any others in point of durability. This matter is one deserv- 
ing the attention of carriage buyer., and if they can only he persuaded to 
make a trial of Louisville work, the fame of the city in this regard will bo 
easily established. 



HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE. 



31 



BLL 



MANUFACTURER OF THE 



FIOIID E3£t»At!T 



SAKSAPARILLA. 



Office on 5th Street, below Main. 



Dr. John Bull has used in the manufacture of his Savsaparilla within the 
last year 3,648 gross of bottles, 27,744 packing boxes at a cost of $6,885 50, 
and affords constant employment to about 55 hands. Amount of sales for 
the year ending this date, $255,7(10 90. Dr, Bull commenced the manu- 
facture of this article exclusively about five years since, and the full amount 
of sales at [hat time was about $5,500, which amount was entirely consumed 
in advertising and printing of various kinds. The second year sales about 
$38,600. Third year, $89,200 50. Fourth year, $157,030 70. Fifth 
year, $255,700 90, as per above statement. The demand for his Sarsaparilla 
is greater now than it has been at any time previously, and its reputation is 
becoming more extended. He has received large orders from California, 
New Mexico, and the island of Cuba. "Wherever it has been tried, the sales 
of it have increased, which is a sufficient guarrantee ts efficacy and 
standing in all places where it has been introduced. 



32 



-APPENDIX TO 



THOMAS WILLIAMS & Co. 



AND 



No. 462 MARKET STREET. 



This establisliment is the only one of the kind in the city, and since its 
commencement a little more than a year ago, it has rapidly grown into favor. 
Few persons are perhaps aware of the fact that all those minor elegancies and 
luxuries which follow the establishment of water works in a city can be pro- 
cured and pnt in operation by this firm as readily and completely, as in cities 
ever so abundantly supplied with water. Water closets, bath houses, wash 
basins, pumps, boilers, and all the appurtenances of an elegant mansion are 
here manufactured and furnished in complete order. Most of the residences 
built since the existence of this firm, have taken advantage of these furnish- 
ings, and many of the older dwellings have added a part at least of these 
conveniences. These gentlemen also import a great variety of gas fixtures 
of all descriptions, as well as wrought iron welded tubes for steam, gas and 
water, which they put up in a superior style. They also maunfacture brass 
work of all the lighter descriptions. The Beer-Pumps which are seen upon 
the counters of our coffee houses, are also from this factory. These pumps 
are of a very superior quality, and arc exported from the city in large quan- 
tities. Steamboat plumber's w^ork also forms an important part of this busi- 
ness. The well-known steamer Eclipse was furnished from this establish- 
ment. All the work done by this firm is of the very best quality. These 
gentlemen are thorough aiul accomplished workmen, and attend in person to 
the details of their business. There are few plumbing establishments in this 
couutry with which this will not bear favorable comparison. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 



mEmmmii siiisi 



IB 



No. 44 Third Street. 



Lithographic printing is a very importaut brapch of the Art, and one in 
which excellence is rarely attained. It is applicable to a very great variety 
of work, and hence is worthy of much consideration. Few persons are pro- 
bably aware of the utility of the art referred to. Maps, landscapes, cards, 
bill heads, labels, drawings for the Patent Office, anatomical plates, and in 
fine all the work of the ordinary printer as well as of the draftsman and of 
the engraver, can be executed by the lithographer. To do all these things 
well, an office requires to be thoroughly organized, to possess artists of abili- 
ty, and to be in the hands of men of artistic taste as well as of business ca 
pacity. In all these respects, the office of Messrs. Milne & Bruder is complete^j 
In all those classes of work which come within their province, these gentle- 
men enjoy a high reputation. Prompt and efficient in their business rela- 
tions, tasteful and artistic in the execution of the work entrusted to them, 
they are enabled to command a large amount of patronage, not only in Louis- 
ville, but all over the WeSfe and South. The new map of Kentucky lately 
issued from their press, is of itself a sufficient guarantee for the character of 
the work executed at this establishment. This map is the best ever publish- 
ed, and its authenticity is in no whit inferior to its mere artistic excellence. 
It is steadily growing into public favor, and is deservedly appreciated wher- 
ever it is known, There is no lithographic establishment in the West, which 
j can and does execute a greater variety or a better quality of work than that 
under consideration . 

14 



34 



APPENDIX TO 



PUBLISHERS OF 
AND DEALERS IN EVEEY DESCRIPTION OF 

JONAS CHICKEKING'S 

No. 117 Fourth Street, Mozart Hall. 



But little more than a year has elapsed since the publication of sheet music 
was begun by this firm. Their catalogue however already embraces a large 
number and a great variety of excellent music. The success of their publish- 
ing house is by the practical talent and fine taste of the proprietors, already 
placed beyond a contingency of failure, and only needs the necessary lapse of 
time to become complete. As is well known, Louisville numbers a great 
many accomplished musicians and musical amateurs among her population. 
There is perhaps no other American city of equal size where this art is so 
much cultivated and so high in favor with the whole people. Music pub- 
lishing, the necessary consequence of this state of affairs, becomes therefore 
an important branch of bixsiness. Messrs. B. & Co. are high in favor with 
our musical people, have published a good deal of Louisville composition, and 
are rapidly finding a large market abroad as well as at home for theii* pro- 
ductions. These gentlemen are also a£;ents for Chickering's celebrated 
Pianos, as well as for other favorite brands. Their attention is also particu- 
larly directed to supplying Brass Instruments for bands. And they offer ex- 
cellent security for the quality of the articles which they keep. As a music 
store, their establishment is a favorite resort with the amateurs of this de- 
lightful art. 



IIISTOKY OF LODISVILLE. 35 



PETEKS, WEBB & CO. 

Main Street, bet. 2d and 3d, Opposite Bank of Ky, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 

Main Street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. 



ORGAN MANUFACTURERS. 



The publishing house of Peters, Webb & Co., perhaps the oldest establish- 
ment of the kiud: and certainly the most favorably known in the West, em- 
ploys one title engraver, three music engravers, and about six printers. 
They keep three copper-plate presses constantly employed, and issue from 
seven to ten thousand pages of music per week. 

The piano-forte manufactory of Peters, Cragg & Co, was organized only a 
few years ago, but its success has been so constant and rapid, that they ara 
not now able to supply the demand for their instruments. They have em- 
barked a very large capital in this business, and are now erecting a large 
three story factory on Main Street, where they will be enabled to do a still 
greater amount of work. They are prepared with all the most recent useful 
improvements in manufacture and will employ in their new factory about 
thirty hands. This firm is ready at any moment to duplicate any bill of 
wholesale prices, which may be had from any respectable eastern house, 
either in sheet music or pianos. 

p. W. & Co., in company with J. Wekerle, a practical organ builder, 
commenced the manufacture of these instruments in Louisville a little less 
than three years ago, since which time they have built several instruments 
for western churches, in Louisville and elsewhere. These have been pro- 
nounced by competent judges equal to any made in the country. Five work- 
men are constantly employed in this department. 



St APPENDIX TO 

CHARLES DUFFIELD & CO.'S 

Water Street, between 5th and Gth, Entrance on 6tli. 

This is the largest establishment exclusively devoted to the curing of hams, 
not only in the United States, but in the world. The buildings are of brick 
and arc three stories in height. The curing-house is 66 feet wide and 350 
feet long, embracing over 53,000 square feet of floor. The smoking house 
is 35 feet in width by 65 in length, and will hold 40,000 hams at one smo- 
king. One to two hundred thousand hams are cured here in one season, 
and thirty to fifty men are employed nearly six months in the year in pre- 
paring the hams for market and summer keeping. The details of the curing 
process are not made public. 

Mr. Dnffield was the Jirsf, to establish and make permanent the business 
of ham curing, as a separate and distinct branch of the provision trade, which 
he did by persevering in making fine hams for years without profit — and he 
has thus became the Pioneer in giving character to our western hams, which 
now stand unequalled in the markets of the United States. It is to this 
perseverance that we are indebted for all the fine hams, by whomsoever 
cured, that now fill our markets. 

Mr. Dnffield was the first to cure m Cincinnati, in 1832, as many as 
20,000 bams, and from this lecjinning , the business is believed to have now 
reached the grand aggregate of from six to eight hundred thousand hams, 
cured in an extra style, in all the western cities. Mr. D.'s hams, however, 
still stand pre-eminent. The demand for them increases yearly. His brand 
is, "Duffield's American Westphalia Hams." The reason for the term 
"American Westphalia" is contained in the fact, that the only hams cele- 
brated in the United States markets, when Mr. D. commenced cm-ing, were 
those imported from Westphalia, in Germany, (which were then and still are 
sold at 25 and 30 cents per pound,) hence the propriety and boldness of the 
terra '•'y/>«^rjca;« Westphalia." It is certain that Mr. Duffield's cure will 
not be found inferior to the best imported from Westphalia, and will not 
cost the consumer one-half the price of that article. 

The following list of diplomas, medals, &c., which have been awarded at 
different times to the hams cured by Mr. Duffield, will corroborate this 
opinion. By Ohio Mechanics' Institute, in 1844; by Hamilton County Ag- 
ricultural Society, in 1846; by Ohio State Fair, lield in Cincinnati, in 1850; 
by The London Industrial Exhibitiou, and World's Fair Prize Medal, ni 
1850. We are proud of Mr. D.'s reputation, and glad to be able to say that 
Louisville has the largest ham curing establishment in the world. 



HISTOKY OF LOUISVILLE. 37 



MANUFACTURER OF 

PLANES AND EDGE TOOLS, 



The manufactvire of Planes and Edge-Tools ia Louisville is not and has no^. 
been considered a very prominent, branch of trade. It is well known that 
the skillful manufacture of these articles has long been a difficulty hard to 
overcome. Mr. McBride, who has been a practical workman with the plane, 
has successfully combatted all the difficnUies in the way of producing a per- 
fect article. Wherever the tools from this factory have been used, they have 
achieved that most difficult of results, the entire approbation of the mechanic. 
Mr. B.'s business is one of those the steady growth of which indicates real 
merit and ultimate success. Every article produced is made by the hands 
of skillful workmen, and under the immediate eye of the proprietor; henc 
all may be sure of procuring a far more valuable article thai/ can be had from 
the steam factories. Mr. McBride has in addition to his manufactory, a 
fine stock of Hardware and Cutlerv. 



liii iiifiii iifiiiisiiiiT^ 



This useful establishment is one of those minor factories which are indis- 
pensible to a great city. Necessarily of small extent as compared with many 
other branches of manufacture, it is yet an important and useful concern. 
Mr. Hunter is the foreman of his owu factory, and is a thorough and accom- 
plished workman. It is at his shop that those elegant cuttings on tinted and 
white glass, which adorn the windows of our southern steamboats, and add 
so much to their magnificence, are done. In this department of his business 
he is without a rival in the city and, it is believea, in the West. Beside 
this, Mr. f{. is a fitter of glasses for jeweller's work, such as rings, breast- 
pins, miniatures, &c. He also replaces parts of broken sets of glass and per- 
forms, in a superior manner, all the work done at the glass cutters. A good 
stock of cut glass-ware is also to be found at this factory. 



38 APPENDIX TO 

KENTUC KY LOCK F ACTORY. 
HAKIG & STOY, 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

Sm Bill villi Jill 11 ii IICKS. 



The Kcutucky Lock Factory is another establishment deserving especial 
notice. The work made at this factory is surpassed in quality by none iu 
the West. Locks of every description from those of the prison, the B nk 
and the safe, to the smallest mortise latch, are manufactured with equal care 
and fidelity. The Fire-Proof Safe, which has a well established reputation 
everywhere, is also made here. Iron doors and frames for bank vaults and 
prisons as well as sliding door locks and trimmings also form a part of the 
daily work of the factory. This concern, -ander the charge of Mr. Aug. C. 
Harig has for a long time enjoyed the confidence and patronage of this com- 
munity, and it will doubtless, under its present management, continue to in- 
crease in pnblic favor. In addition to articles of their own manufacture, 
Messrs. II. & S._ offer for sale an excellent assortment of Builders Hardware. 

la the same building v/ith the factory noticed above, may be found the in- 
strument shop of Mr. Tiensch. In this exceedingly complex and scientific 
manufacture, this gentleman is very eminent. The most delicate manipula- 
tions of his art are performed by him with singular accuracy and facility. 
Manufactories of this kind are rare in the American cities, nor is the demand 
for these articles very great. Mr. T. is therefore able to furnish the pro- 
ceeds isf his manufacture to buyers who arc scattered over a large surface of 
country. He keeps on hand a stock of the instruments iu most common use 
and is thoroughly competent to the successful manuiacture of any article iu 
his line which may be desired by the scientific man. His factory will doubt- 
less grow with the growing wants for articles of this description in this great 
city. The curious in such matters will find his shop well worthy of a visit. 



966 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper procc 
Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxiu- 
Treatment Date: 

AUG 




PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES, L 
1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 

nranlwriv TflwnshiO. PA 16066 



I 



